


I Belong to You Forever

by KyluxFicHell



Series: I Belong to You Forever [1]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: AU, Abusive Relationships, Aftercare, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Anal Sex, Developing Relationship, Dom/sub, First Time, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Humiliation, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Oral Sex, Praise Kink, Protective Brian, Protective Freddie, Public Nudity, Reward and Punishment, Sex Toys, Smut, Spanking, Sub discrimination, Under negotiated punishment, Unhealthy Dom/sub relationships, Whipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 06:36:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 37,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17017614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KyluxFicHell/pseuds/KyluxFicHell
Summary: “Well...look here. The first part of the Submissive Clause talks about money. That’s not too much of a problem; you and I will receive the royalties and we can make sure that Rog and John get their equal share. The second part of the clause refers to songwriting credits. It’s pretty shitty but I don’t think there’s much we can do about this, other than to verbally credit the two subs when we’re playing gigs.”“And the third part?” Freddie questions. “The really shitty part that basically says Roger and John will be forced to become fucking sex slaves?”Brian points at the word he’s underlined. “That part only refers to unclaimed subs.”ORIn a world where everyone is born as a Dominant or a submissive, submissives are treated like second class citizens. Queen are offered their first recording contract with a record label, but the music industry is still highly discriminatory against subs, especially those who are unclaimed by Doms, so Brian and Freddie devise a way to protect the two subs in their band...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is set in a Dom/sub AU where everyone has a natural “status” and is born either a Dominant or a submissive. This society is highly discriminatory against subs, and public punishment/humiliation of subs is socially acceptable.
> 
> This fic will mention both healthy and unhealthy Dom/sub relationships. Rape/sexual abuse of subs takes place in this universe, although this doesn’t take place between the band members- Brian and Freddie are actively trying to protect Roger and John from all the terrible things that can happen to subs.
> 
> As usual, comments are welcome and appreciated, and I’m very happy to chat or answer any questions about this particular universe.
> 
> Finally, thank you to everyone who has read and commented on my fics so far- you’re the reason I keep on writing!
> 
> Tumblr: @bohemian-rhapsody-slash

Brian rubs his eyes and sighs for what feels like the hundredth time that evening, dropping the pile of papers he’s been reading onto the table in front of him. 

“What do you think?” Freddie asks with a yawn, doodling on his own set of papers.

“I think,” Brian says, trying to ignore how heavy his eyelids feel, “that we’re fucked.”

The text on the page in front of him is blurring together into one huge black mass, with his own notes scribbled around the outside in pen and various passages underlined. He’s spent so long reading this document that he could probably recite it word for word from memory.

The various pages that they’ve shared between the two of them to scrutinise make up their first ever potential contract with a record label. They’d been excited when Foster Records had first indicated they were interested in signing the band, and absolutely elated when they’d been sent an initial contract to consider before they meet with the label. That elation had quickly deflated, however, when they’d read the content of the contract. 

“Ok.” Freddie rubs one hand over his face, exhaustion clouding his features. “Let’s think about our options here. We could ask the label to renegotiate the contract.”

Brian laughs bitterly. “Why the hell would they want to renegotiate? Nobody’s ever heard of Queen. We have no power.”

“Ok.” Freddie chews his lip thoughtfully. “So we tell them the contract is unacceptable and we refuse it. But we could use it as leverage to persuade another label to sign us?”

“Even if we could persuade another label to take us on, it wouldn’t matter, Fred. We’d still have the same issue. I’ve researched every label I can think of, and they all have similar clauses around submissives in their contracts. They’re all as bad as each other.”

Brian has spent the last two days using any contacts he has in the music industry to help him get hold of any documents and template contracts he can from the big record labels. He’s spent hours reading through them all word for word, hours trying to find any loophole he can around the _Submissive Artists_ clauses. Anything that might give them _something_. 

He sighs and reflects again on what an unfair world they live in. A world where people are treated like a second class citizen just because they happen to have been born a submissive instead of a Dominant. He still can’t quite believe that this kind of discrimination still exists in the 70s. 

Submissives making it in the music business is still rare but not unheard of. And judging by the paperwork they’ve spent the past couple of days reading, record companies seem to still be stuck in the dark ages with the rest of the world.

Sometimes Brian wonders if it would be easier if they didn’t have two subs in their band. He wonders what it would be like if Queen were made up of four Doms instead. On the one hand it would be easier in the sense that they would have a lot less to worry about; they could play at any venue they wanted instead of having to avoid places that had a different set of rules for sub artists. Roger and John had voiced their discomfort, for instance, at playing anywhere where subs aren’t allowed to wear clothes. Both Brian and Freddie had respected that, and so they’d chosen to play only at venues where subs could enter fully clothed. 

On the other hand, not having Roger and John in the band would make life a lot more difficult. Irrespective of their status, they both possess pure irreplaceable musical talent. They both write amazing songs and contribute integral ideas to the group. And Brian actually finds that having two subs in the group is a  _really_ good thing- as a band they have diversity of thought, they see the world from different perspectives, and they really balance each other out. Brian is pretty sure that a group of four Doms would just result in constant arguments and aggression and the eventual break up of the band. 

“Alright,” Freddie sighs. “So either we reject this contract and just accept that Queen will never be able to record an album. Or we agree to sign the contract and subject poor Rog and Deaky to the bullshit that it’s in this fucking document.”

Brian swallows, his eyes fixing on the section on the page in front of him which he’d circled earlier three times in pen.

 

_Section 12- Submissive Clause_

_Submissive individuals who have signed a legally binding contract with Foster Records, whether as a solo artist or as part of a group, must adhere to the following terms:_

_i. If a submissive artist is part of a mixed status group, royalties will be paid directly to the Dominant/s in the group who will decide the amount to be paid to the submissive/s._

_ii. If a submissive artist is part of a single status group or is a solo artist, they must elect an appropriate Dominant representative to receive and distribute any royalties on their behalf._

_iii. If a submissive artist is part of a mixed status group, only Dominant artist/s in the group will be credited with the writing of a song or album. Submissive artists may, however, appear on album and single cover art and in promotional material._

_iv. If a submissive artist is part of a single status group or is a solo artist, Foster Records will be credited with the writing of a song or album. Submissive artists may, however, appear on album and single cover art and in promotional material._

_v. Executive level employees of Foster Records are entitled to request unclaimed submissive artists to partake in sexual activities with them, which includes but is not limited to- vaginal sex, anal sex, oral sex, intercrural sex, and any other form of intercourse, at any time of the executive’s choosing._

 

Brian wants to burn the page; his first instinct was to just rip up the whole contract. He can feel the rage coursing through him, and once again he can’t help but think that this is so fucking _unfair_.

He’s about to throw all his papers on the floor in a fit in utter frustration, before something catches his eye. A word in the section he’d just been reading, which it looks as though he’d underlined earlier.

_v. Executive level employees of Foster Records are entitled to request unclaimed submissive artists to partake in sexual activities with them_

 

_ unclaimed _

 

“Hang on,” Brian says slowly, an idea starting to form at the back of his mind. “There might be another way we can do this.”

Freddie looks at him sceptically. “And what way might that be, dear?”

“Well...look here. The first part of the Submissive Clause talks about money. That’s not too much of a problem; you and I will receive the royalties and we can make sure that Rog and John get their equal share. The second part of the clause refers to songwriting credits. It’s pretty shitty but I don’t think there’s much we can do about this, other than to verbally credit the two subs when we’re playing gigs.”

“And the third part?” Freddie questions. “The really shitty part that basically says Roger and John will be forced to become fucking sex slaves?”

Brian points at the word he’s underlined. “That part only refers to unclaimed subs.”

Freddie gives him a confused look. “I can see that, darling. But Roger and John _are_ unclaimed.”

“Precisely.” Brian swallows. “So all we’d need to do is make sure they’re claimed by Doms before we sign the contract. Then that part of the clause won’t apply to them.”

There’s a moment of silence as Freddie looks at him blankly. “So what you’re suggesting is that... _we_ claim them?”

Brian nods. He knows this is a crazy idea, but there’s a chance it just might work.

“Think about it, Fred. If _we_ claim them, we can protect them. We can still record the album without Roger and John having to go through all this shit.”

Freddie folds his arms, a thoughtful look on his face. “Ok. That could work. How do you think they would feel about that?”

Brian pauses, unsure. He’d seen Roger with a few Doms before, but none who were serious enough to collar him. John, to his knowledge, has had perhaps one Dom since he joined the band, who didn’t last very long. Brian honestly isn’t sure how willing they would be to be claimed by their bandmates, but he also knows that music is their life and they would do anything for Queen.

“We wouldn’t just be able to do this for show,” Freddie points out. “We would all have to commit to this. If the Label suspected that we’d claimed Roger and John in name only, we could be in real trouble. Things would probably end up being a lot worse than if we signed the bloody contract with the two subs unclaimed.”

“I know,” Brian acknowledges. “It would be a real commitment. This isn’t a decision we can make lightly, and to be honest I think Roger and John are the ones who need to make it. They’re the ones with the most to lose.”

Freddie considers what Brian’s said for a moment, but nods slowly. “You’re right, Bri. We need to let them make the choice. And if they decide they don’t want us to claim them, then we have to accept that, and we’ll walk away from the label.”

“Agreed.”

It feels as though they might finally have made a breakthrough. They might finally have found a way to progress their music careers and finally record an album as Queen, without letting some greasy executives get their hands on Roger and John.

Ultimately though, Brian’s main concern is making sure that the two subs feel comfortable with whatever they do. If Roger and John do agree to this, there’s going to be a weird shift in the dynamics of the band, and Brian can only hope that it doesn’t change things so much that it affects the way they work together.

He rubs his eyes again, and curses silently at the injustice in the world.

*****

Roger’s ears prick up when he hears a key in the door.

John looks up from the magazine he’s been reading to glance at Roger a little nervously. “Looks like they’re home.”

They both quickly scramble to get into position on their knees by the front door.

The four of them are very informal with each other and such good friends that usually Roger and John will only behave submissively in public. In private, Brian and Freddie are perfectly comfortable with the subs calling them by their names rather than addressing them as _sir_ , which they reserve for when they’re in public or have company. They’re also not bothered by Roger and John sitting on furniture as opposed to the floor when they’re at home. However the two subs do still have some submissive urges even in private, so they will usually kneel when Freddie or Brian come home, as a demonstration of respect.

Roger thinks they’re incredibly lucky to have Dom friends like Brian and Freddie. It’s nice to have two Doms in the band who actually listen to the subs and respect their ideas, but also take care of them. Roger knows he’s not the easiest person to deal with, especially for a sub- he can be mouthy and opinionated which he knows most Doms wouldn’t stand for, but Brian in particular seems not only to welcome that part of him but to encourage it.

The door opens and Brian walks in, followed by Freddie, both of them clutching papers from their evening at the library and looking a little windswept.

Roger automatically lowers his gaze, his submissive instincts kicking in. He’s starting to feel a little anxious because he knows the papers that Brian’s carrying are bits and pieces of the contract they’d received from Foster Records. The contract that had made him want to be sick when he’d read it.

“Hello, lads,” Brian says with what seems like forced cheer, taking off his coat. “How was your evening?”

“Good,” John says with a smile from his place next to Roger. “We managed to clean the whole flat.”

“It does look good.” Freddie’s eyes scan the hallway. “Spotless in fact. Did you help, Rog?”

“A little,” Roger says with a shrug. “Deaky did most of the work though.”

Brian laughs. “Why am I not surprised?” He shifts the papers in his hands. “Right gents, we need to talk over some stuff. Let’s go and make ourselves comfortable.”

Brian holds out his free hand to help Roger up off his knees, and Freddie does the same for John. Roger can’t help but feel the anxiety build as they all trail into the living room, because he knows exactly what _stuff_ they need to discuss. He knows that tonight they essentially need to make a decision about whether they’re going to submit to the sickening demands of Foster Records, or whether they’re going to just give up and quit the music business.

“Shall I make some tea?” John blurts out, looking just as nervous as Roger is feeling. “Might be nice to have some tea?”

John disappears into the kitchen as Brian starts laying out papers on the coffee table in front of him, his brow creasing as he reads through them one more time. Roger can’t help but think that if there’s anyone who can get them out of this mess, it’s Brian. He’s never met a Dom like Brian before, and he’s confident that the older man will find a way for them to do this; a way for them to continue being Queen without sacrificing their dignity or integrity.

John returns a few minutes later with some mugs of tea, before taking a seat on the sofa next to Roger, so that the two subs are facing the two Doms.

“So,” Roger begins, trying to break the tension with a nervous laugh. “Are we as fucked as we think we are?”

He feels John stiffen beside him, and instantly regrets his choice of words.

“Possibly not,” Brian says with a heavy sigh. “As you know, Fred and I have spent the last few hours scrutinising the contract to see what our options might be.”

Freddie fumbles in his pocket for a cigarette and his lighter, but otherwise remains unusually quiet.

“This contract,” Brian says slowly, gesturing at the papers before him, “is the best we’re going to get. I’ve looked at some contracts for other labels, and they’re all very similar in terms of their treatment of submissives.”

_The best we’re going to get_. Roger can’t decide if he wants to laugh or cry.

“Freddie and I have concluded that we’ve got three choices here,” Brian continues, deliberately making eye contact with both of the younger men. “We want to discuss those choices with you, and we’d like you to make the decision, because ultimately the two of you are going to be the ones who are impacted the most.”

Brian and Freddie have always included Roger and John in every decision regarding the band, which Roger knows is unusual for Doms in their position to do. Never before though has a decision been entirely up to the two subs, which leads Roger to conclude that whatever they’re about to hear is going to be something quite unpleasant.

Brian clears his throat. “We can say no. We can walk away. We can just focus on playing gigs and whatever we can as Queen. I want you to know that this is a real possibility that Freddie and I have discussed and will support if that’s what you want. We’re willing to do that if you feel uncomfortable with our other options.”

Roger feels his heart sink. He knows that what Brian is saying is true- Brian and Freddie really would give up this opportunity if he and John asked them to. But he also knows that this is their one chance to really get Queen out there, to help them follow their dreams and make all those hours of writing and playing and late night rehearsals worth it all. Roger knows that if they give this up, Queen is likely to slowly dissolve into nothing, and he simply can’t imagine a world in which he isn’t a part of Queen.

“Our second option,” Brian continues, going a little quieter, “is that we sign the contract. We take the chance in order to record this album.” He gives both subs an apologetic look. “But you’ve read the contract, and you know what you could both be asked to do if we agree to it.”

Roger notes that Brian uses the word _asked_ , as if they’ll really have a choice when the request inevitably comes. They all know this will be legally binding. Roger glances to his left, only to see John looking utterly miserable. If he’s being honest, Roger had been considering telling Brian that this is a risk worth taking, and he’s willing to bend over for whatever executive asks him to if it means they can do this, no matter how awful the experience might be. But then he looks at John, trembling like a leaf, and he knows he can’t subject the younger man to that.

Freddie takes another drag of his cigarette. “Brian did suggest a third option though, and we really want to know what you think about it.”

Roger frowns, not quite sure what Freddie is getting at. As far as he can see, there’s only two ways around this. Either they walk away, or Roger and John will have to spread their legs for whoever demands it of them.

“The part of the contract that refers to the, er, the sexual stuff.” Brian falters a little, as if unsure of himself. “It only applies to unclaimed subs.”

“Roger and I _are_ both unclaimed though,” John points out, tapping his fingers against his mug of tea nervously.

“You are at the moment, darling,” Freddie says gently. “But we could arrange for you both to be claimed by the time we sign that contract.”

“Claimed by who?” John blurts out, but Roger is already a step ahead.

“By you two?” Roger frowns.

Brian nods. “We were thinking that...if you agreed, of course...I could claim you, Rog, and Fred could claim Deaky. Don’t get me wrong, we wouldn’t be able to do this for show- we’d have to take you on as our subs, and you’d have to accept us as your Doms. But we’d take care of you, I can promise you that. We’d make sure you get everything you need and everything that you’re entitled to, and it would stop any slimy execs from getting their hands on you.”

“Oh.” Roger isn’t quite sure what else to say. It was an option he hadn’t even thought was a possibility.

He’d be lying if he said he’d never thought about what it would be like if Brian was his Dom. What it would be like to have Brian stroke Roger’s hair as he kneeled naked at the older man’s feet, whispering words of praise. But to do it like this feels a bit... _wrong_. He knows that Brian isn’t offering to take Roger on as a sub because he _wants_ to and because he thinks Roger will be a good sub; he’s doing it because he has no other choice.

“Perhaps its best if we give you some time alone?” Freddie says gently, stubbing out his cigarette in the ashtray beside him. “It’s a big decision and I’m sure you’d find it easier to make without a couple of Doms crowding your space.”

Brian nods in agreement and they both stand to retreat to their respective bedrooms.

“Remember,” Brian says just before he leaves, “this is your decision, and we will respect whatever you want to do. If you want us to walk away, all you have to do is say the word. No judgement, no questions asked.”

The sincerity in his voice causes a wave of affection for the older man to rush over Roger. They’re being given a _choice_. A _real_ choice. Not the _illusion_ of choice that subs are usually given, where the decision has in fact already been made for them. Roger and John have been given a tiny bit of power in a world in which they have none, and for that Roger is incredibly grateful.

When the two Doms finally leave, John lets out a heavy sigh.

“ _Jesus_.” Roger runs his hands through his hair. “Fucking hell.”

There’s a sniff from beside him, and when he looks up he’s shocked to see that John’s rubbing his wet eyes.

“Oh Deaky, it’s alright. Come here.” Roger pulls John into a hug, his heart breaking a little as he rubs the younger man’s back soothingly. “It’s going to be ok.”

“I’m sorry, Rog.” John’s voice is muffled against Roger’s shirt. “I’m so sorry, but I can’t sign that contract as an unclaimed sub.”

“Don’t you dare apologise,” Roger says firmly, giving his friend a gentle squeeze. “Don’t ever apologise for not wanting to be raped.”

It’s a word they haven’t used until now, because legally what would happen to them isn’t rape. But Roger doesn’t want to describe it as anything else.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, simply cuddling and taking some time to process everything that’s just been said. Roger has always felt a close bond with John; he’s the youngest and also the only other one in the group who understands what life is like as a sub. He enjoys it when they get to have alone time together, when they don’t have to think about status etiquette and how they should behave towards their Dom friends. Even though Brian and Freddie have always insisted that the two subs are their equals, Roger has never quite felt like that is true. Society has always prevented it from being true. But with John, he knows he truly is an equal, and he can say and do what he wants without fear of repercussions.

“So what do you think then?” Roger asks softly, running his fingers gently through John’s hair. “Walk away, or ask the Doms to claim us?”

John hesitates for a moment. “I love the band. Queen is my life. I couldn’t face giving it up; it’s all I have. I know Brian said that even if we rejected the contract we could keep playing gigs and stuff, but we all know that this will be the end for us. No one will touch us if word gets out that we turned down Foster Records. Especially since we’re a band with two subs.”

“Ok,” Roger nods. “So that leaves us with...”

“Yeah.” John’s voice is thick.

It seems they’ve both reached the same conclusion. 

John shifts so he can see Roger a little better, and bites his lip. “Would it really be so bad, Rog? If they claimed us, I mean.”

Roger tries to give him a reassuring smile. “I don’t know what it would be like. Things would change between us, that’s for sure.”

“It might be a bit weird at first,” John agrees, but there’s a small smile on his face. “But...it would be nice to have a Dom again. And we know we can trust them. They’ll take care of us. The other alternative is that we’ll both probably eventually end up being claimed by other Doms who might not want us playing in Queen anymore.”

It’s a good point, and one that Roger hasn’t considered until now. A couple of the Doms he’s had in the past had not been at all happy with the idea of him spending so much time with Brian and Freddie, and there’s always the risk that any future Dom who might claim him could destroy his relationship with the band.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be the most terrible thing if they were to claim us. It’s been a while since I’ve had a Dom too.” Roger runs his fingers through John’s hair again. “And I suppose you’d quite like having a Dom to stroke your hair and give you cuddles rather than having to rely on a silly sub to do it for you all the time, eh?”

John giggles. “You give good cuddles, but it would be nice to earn them from a Dom, yes.”

Roger grins. “And Freddie is handsome, yeah? That certainly helps in the bedroom.”

John flushes but keeps smiling. “He _is_ handsome.” He pats Roger’s knee gently. “So is Brian, Rog.”

Roger’s smile softens. “So...are we definitely saying yes to this?”

John shrugs, but he looks a little more confident. “I think it’s the best option we’ve got. It gives Queen a chance but still protects us at the same time.”

Roger nods. He finds himself feeling oddly pleased with this outcome, and a little excited too if he’s being honest. He’s definitely nervous- he has no idea what Brian’s expectations of him will be, but he wants to find out and he wants to be a good sub for the Dom who will be making this sacrifice for him.

They sit together for a little while, just cuddling in silence as they gather their thoughts. It’s nice; Roger rarely has the time away from the Doms to just sit and think.

Eventually Roger hears the creak of floorboards as Brian and Freddie appear at the door.

“Hey,” Brian says softly, poking his head into the room. “How’s it going? Just wanted to check if you need some more time?”

Roger looks at John, who gives him a small smile.

“I think we’re ok,” Roger replies. “I think we’ve made our decision.”

Brian and Freddie enter cautiously, giving each other what looks like a nervous glance before taking their seats from earlier opposite the two subs.

“So,” Freddie says, tapping his fingers nervously on the arm of the sofa. “Are you going to keep us waiting, dears?”

Roger glances at John, and a moment of understanding passes between them. They both stand together, before dropping to their knees in front of the two Doms.

“Oh,” says Brian, a pleased expression dawning on his features which makes Roger’s heart skip a beat. “Is that a yes then?”

“We want to go for it,” John says, lowering his eyes. Roger does the same, wanting to show his respect for the Dom who is doing this for him.

“We don’t want to give up on Queen.” Roger tries to sound confident. “If you’re willing to claim us, we’re willing to try this.”

When Roger looks back up, he can only describe the expression on Brian’s face as elated.

Freddie smiles for the first time that evening, looking equally as pleased. “Well that’s wonderful! Christ, ok, we’re really doing this. This is fucking amazing. We won’t let you down boys, I promise.”

Brian nudges Freddie. “We should give them the things?”

Freddie nods. “Yes. Hang on.”

He jumps up and disappears for a moment, before returning with two small flat square boxes, one of which he hands to Brian as he sits back down.

“We weren’t sure if you would say yes,” Brian chuckles nervously, “but we thought we’d better be prepared in case you did.”

He lowers the box and carefully opens it so that Roger can see its contents.

It’s a collar. A simple, thin, black leather collar. There’s a small loop hanging from the front, where a leash might be attached, and hanging from the top of the loop is a very small diamond. The collar is both discrete and tasteful. Roger has often thought about what his collar might look like when a Dom eventually decided to offer him one, but this is more than he ever could have hoped for.

“Do you like it?” Brian asks softly, nervousness in his eyes. “I didn’t have much time to sort one out, but I tried to pick one I thought might fit your style.”

“It’s beautiful,” Roger says without hesitating. He doesn’t even want to think about how much Brian must have had to spend on this or where he got the money from. His blood is roaring in his ears.

Brian removes the collar from its box, and Roger lifts his hair with shaking hands so that the older man can reach behind him and clasp the collar in place around his neck.

Roger lets his hair fall back around his shoulders as Brian leans back to look at him appraisingly. A part of him has always thought of a collar being a little like a prison sentence, but with the way Brian is looking at him now he finds he actually doesn’t mind too much.

“You look stunning, Rog.”

Roger can feel himself blushing, that first piece of praise going straight to his heart.

“Thank you,” Roger replies, his tongue heavy. “Thank you, _Master_.”

That makes Brian _beam_ , and he strokes Roger’s cheek with one thumb. “There’s no need for that when we’re at home, Rog. But we can talk about etiquette and expectations later.”

Roger can’t help but smile, and when he glances over he sees John grinning as Freddie fits a similar collar around the younger man’s neck.

Roger finds himself suddenly filled with hope. Maybe this isn’t going to be so bad at all. Maybe they can actually make this work.

*****

The first thing they do is sort out the bedrooms.

Brian helps Roger move his stuff from his room into Brian’s, and helps him find a place for all his things. Freddie does the same with John.

There’s a part of Roger that’s disappointed to give up his privacy, but there’s also a part of him that’s excited to share a room with Brian. They don’t really have a choice anyway; if the subs are really going to be claimed, then there’s no way they can get around sleeping in separate rooms from the Doms.

When they’ve finished moving the majority of Roger’s belongings, Brian takes a seat on the double bed.

“Alright, Rog, I think it’s time for us to have a bit of a chat before we go any further eh?”

Roger takes a deep breath and nods. He goes to sit on the bed next to Brian, but changes his mind and decides to kneel in front of the older man instead. Despite knowing Brian so well, Roger doesn’t really know his preferences as a Dom, and he wants to try and make this as painless as possible for both of them.

“You can sit with me, if you like,” Brian says gently. “We haven’t discussed our expectations of each other yet, so there’s no need for you to kneel me for me just yet.”

Roger hesitates a moment, before moving to sit on the bed beside Brian. It’s going to take him a while to get used to this new dynamic between them.

“Ok.” Brian gives him a warm smile. “Do you want to go first or shall I?”

“Um.” Roger isn’t sure if he’s missing something. “Go first?”

“Do you want to tell me about your expectations of me first,” Brian clarifies, “or shall I tell you about my expectations of you?”

Roger is speechless. Never before has a Dom asked Roger what _his_ expectations were.

“I’ll start then.” Brian pats Roger’s thigh.“Firstly, I just want to say I’m so honoured to be your Dom. I’m so happy you’ve chosen to trust me with this, Rog. I consider it a big responsibility and I hope our friendship is going to help me take care of you and give you what you deserve.”

Roger feels like his insides are melting. This is _nothing_ like his experiences with his previous Doms at all.

“So,” Brian continues, “my expectations. Obviously I expect you to submit to me and respect my authority as your Dom, but I also expect you to communicate with me, Rog. I need you to tell me if I do something you don’t like or if you need me to explain why I’m doing something. I expect obedience from you, but I also expect you to question anything that makes you uncomfortable. Understood?”

Roger nods. “Yeah. I understand.”

Roger very rarely hears Brian use this tone with him, commanding but reassuring, and he instantly knows he could get used to this.

“Good.” Brian takes Roger’s hand in his own, brushing his thumb over the knuckles. “Now, it goes without saying that I expect you to wear your collar at all times, except when you shower. Definitely in public, and I’d also quite like it if you’d wear it when you’re naked.”

Roger flushes, but nods in agreement.

“I expect you to adhere to normal Dom/sub etiquette when we’re in public. I’m still really happy for you to call me by my name in private, but I would appreciate you addressing me as _Master_ when we’re in front of anyone other than Freddie or a Deaky; I know you’re used to calling me _sir_ in public but we’ll need to make sure that we use the right titles now that I’m your Dom. And I’m sure you’ll cover this in your own expectations, but I’ll reward you for good behaviour and punish you for bad.”

Roger can’t quite believe this is happening. Brian is being so _reasonable_. Roger can’t remember any of his previous Doms setting out their expectations like this, other than one memorable Dom who’d announced that he expected Roger to blow him twice a day.

“Enough from me though.” Brian squeezes Roger’s hand. “I want to hear from _you_.”

Roger swallows, a little overwhelmed. None of his Doms have ever asked him to articulate his wants and needs before.

Brian chuckles. “It’s not like you to be so quiet, Rog.”

“I, um. Jesus, Bri. This is all happening so fast...”

Brian gives him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Rog. It’s a lot to take in, I completely understand. Talk to me about punishments. Is there anything I should avoid?”

Roger bites his lip, taking a moment to consider the question. “Um, public nudity, if that’s ok. I’m fine being naked at home, or even in front of Fred and Deaky, but I’d really rather not be naked in public.”

Brian nods. “Got it.”

“I’m good with spanking, including objects and stuff, and you can make me do things or do to things to me, like sexually, but again I’d prefer you do it to me in private. Public punishment makes me really uncomfortable.”

“Ok,” Brian says, understanding in his voice. “That sounds completely reasonable. And rewards? How do you like a Dom to reward you when you’ve been good?”

Roger’s breath hitches, but he’s feeling a bit more confident now. “Well...praise, obviously. Sexually I like to be fingered, or to be eaten out...” He trails off, suddenly embarrassed, and quickly adds “but you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to.”

“Sounds good to me, Rog.” Brian smiles at him warmly. “And knowing you I’m sure you will earn it very soon.”

Roger gives him a warm smile back. It all seems too good to be true. His heart is pounding in his chest. He’s so grateful to Brian for being so kind to him that his submissive urges take over, and he wants to do something to please his new Dom.

He reaches out for Brian’s belt, only for the older man to clamp his hand around his wrist.

“None of that now, Rog. There will be plenty of time for that, but you’ve only been my sub for a few hours so maybe we shouldn’t rush things.”

“Oh.” Roger tries to keep the disappointment from his voice.

“I want to do this right.” Brian brushes Roger’s hair away from his face, thumb brushing across his cheekbone. The touch is so intimate that Roger almost struggles to breathe. “I want to be the Dom you deserve, Rog. So let’s just get used to the change in our relationship before we start going down that route, eh?”

And then Brian leans in slowly, pressing his lips gently against Roger’s. His hand slips down from Roger’s face to his neck, caressing where pale skin meets the leather of the collar. The kiss is the most chaste Roger has ever received from a Dom, and it only lasts a few seconds, but when they part Roger is sure his heart is going to burst out of his chest.

“Thanks, Bri,” Roger says softly, when his heart has calmed down a little. “For everything.”

“We’d better get some sleep.” Brian kisses Roger’s cheek. “I need to arrange for us to meet with the record label tomorrow, so we’ll have a bit of a day ahead of us.”

They undress for bed in silence, and Roger catches sight of himself in the mirror for the first time that evening. It’s strange to see himself in a collar, but he likes the way the dark leather contrasts with his light hair. Everybody will be able to see that he’s claimed, and it sends an odd thrill through him.

As he climbs into bed with Brian, he can’t help but run his fingers over the collar. He’s _claimed_. He’s _Brian’s sub_. Even when Brian kisses his hair and throws an arm around his waist, he still can’t quite believe this is happening.

He reflects back on what John said earlier. Maybe this really wouldn’t be so bad after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys visit Foster Records to sign Queen’s first recording contract...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who read and commented on the first chapter. I was very nervous posting this but I’m really glad that people are into it and enjoying it! Apologies it’s taken me nearly a week to update, but the chapter is quite long so I hope that makes up for it.
> 
> As usual, very happy to discuss or answer any questions about this universe.
> 
> Tumblr: @bohemian-rhapsody-slash

As soon as Roger enters the Foster Records headquarters, he feels a sense of dread settling in the pit of his stomach.

It’s a modern building but there’s a slightly outdated feel to it, and Roger thinks it looks almost like a Bond villain’s lair. The receptionist who greets them is polite and professional, but there’s an odd vibe to the place. Photographs of previous Dom executives line the walls, their expressions cold and calculating. 

The receptionist directs them to an empty waiting area, where Brian and Freddie take a seat on one of the plush red sofas. Roger takes a seat on the floor at Brian’s feet, and John does the same in front of Freddie. It would look odd for two subs to sit on the furniture beside their Doms in public, and Roger knows this is an opportunity they cannot afford to waste. He and John cannot be seen as anything other than claimed subs here. He feels Brian’s fingers stroking through his hair, and he knows that the gesture is partly an attempt at comforting him and partly an apology.

Brian can’t say it out loud, but Roger knows what the touch is meant to convey. He knows what Brian is trying to tell him.

_I’m sorry you have to do this._

But Roger’s here to sign a contract, _the_ contract, _Queen’s_ contract. He’s willing to swallow his pride and behave like a good obedient little sub if that’s what it takes to seal the deal. 

The journey over here had been Roger and John’s first outing as claimed subs. It had been an odd feeling, walking down the street with a collar around his neck, but exhilarating too; the whole word could see that he was _claimed_ , that he was off limits.

It’s the first time in recent memory where Roger has been able to walk down the street without having lewd comments shouted at him, or without the feel of leering Dom eyes burning holes through his skin. He and John tend to get less of that when they’re with Brian and Freddie anyway; in the past the mere presence of their Dom friends had been enough to keep other Doms at bay. Now that they have collars around their necks, however, Roger’s hoping that it’s something he’ll have to deal with a lot less.

His thoughts are interrupted when the young receptionist approaches them, looking slightly sheepish.

She gives the Doms a warm smile. “Mr Mercury, Mr May- Mr Foster is almost ready for you.” Her smile falters a little as she quickly glances at Roger and John. She clears her throat. “I just came over to let you know that...unfortunately your submissives aren’t able to wear clothing in our building.”

She points at a gold-plated sign nailed to the wall behind them, an apologetic look on her face.

Roger wants to be sick as he reads the dark bold lettering.

_**Submissives are not permitted to wear clothing beyond this point.** _

He immediately glances at John, who gives him a panicked look, his face completely white.

“We weren’t told about this,” Freddie says immediately, gesturing at the sign with an annoyed look on his face. “We weren’t made aware of this requirement.”

The receptionist bites her lip, looking truly embarrassed. “I do apologise, sir. But I’m afraid it is our policy here.” She gestures behind her. “We have changing and storage facilities for your subs to use.” She glances down at Roger and John sadly. “I’m so sorry,” she whispers before retreating back to her desk.

There’s a moment of stunned silence after she leaves, before Brian kicks into action.

“We don’t have to do this,” he says, leaning down to make better eye contact with the two subs. “We can still walk away. You say the word, and we’ll walk out of this building right now. Right, Fred?”

Freddie nods in agreement. “To hell with their contract.”

Roger desperately doesn’t want to have to forgo his clothes for this meeting, but he also doesn’t want to miss this opportunity that they will probably never get again.

He looks at John again, who is now so pale that he looks ill. 

“This is your choice,” Brian says, addressing them both. “We’ll do whatever it takes to avoid making you uncomfortable.”

Roger reaches out to touch John’s shoulder gently. While he thinks he can just about summon the courage to go through with this, he’s not sure if John will be able to do the same.

“Deaky?” Roger keeps his voice soft. “What do you think?”

John sits there in silence for a minute, before meeting Roger’s eyes and letting out a defeated sigh. “We’re never going to get this chance again, are we? We need to sign that contract. All of us.”

Roger slips his hand from John’s shoulder to clasp the younger man’s hand. “Are you sure? We really don’t have to do this.”

John squeezes Roger’s hand. “We’ve come this far. Let’s just sign the damn thing and get the hell out of here.”

Roger nods, trying to give John a reassuring smile. “I’ll be right beside you. And Brian and Freddie will be here too.”

John takes a deep breath, looking completely and utterly resigned. When Freddie reaches down to stroke his hair, the younger man leans into the touch before pulling himself to his feet.

“Alright,” he says, forced determination on his face. “Let’s do it.” He holds his hand out to Roger, and helps pull the other sub to his feet. 

Roger doesn’t feel confident in the slightest, but John’s courage gives him hope that they can get through this together and come out the other side relatively unscathed.

“Take your time,” Brian says softly, giving them both an admiring look. “We’ll be waiting for you here when you’re ready.”

Roger and John make their way towards the room that’s labelled _Submissive Changing Facilities_ , and Roger starts to feel his heart rate increase dangerously in his chest.

The changing room is empty. There are a few hooks and lockers on one side of the room for storing clothes, and some plain wooden benches on the other side. Roger wonders how many subs have had to undress in here and leave their dignity behind in one of these dingy lockers.

The subs share a nervous look.

“I’ll be right beside you,” John says, repeating Roger’s earlier sentiment. 

Roger doesn’t think he’s ever felt such affection for the younger man. 

Deciding that there’s no point delaying the inevitable, they slowly start to undress in silence with their backs turned to each other. They’ve never had occasion to see each other naked before, and it’s as if by avoiding looking at each other now they are trying to afford themselves that last bit of privacy, that last shred of dignity, right up to the last possible moment.

As Roger removes his clothes, he can’t help but think that he’s incredibly grateful that he doesn’t have to go through this alone. He takes a deep breath as he pulls his underwear down his thighs, shivering slightly as the cool air hits him. He folds his clothes neatly into a pile, trying to ignore the butterflies in his stomach.

When he turns around, John is already naked except for his collar, his arms folded self-consciously over his chest. 

“Bloody hell, Rog,” John says with a nervous laugh as his eyes take in Roger unclothed. “Standing next to you really isn’t going to be good for my ego.”

“I’m sure Freddie will help fix that.” Roger offers a weak smile. He’s not sure what to do with his hands; he usually puts them in his pockets when he’s nervous, so he just lets them hang uselessly at his side. 

They stand there awkwardly for a few moments, both of them trying to delay having to leave the safety of the changing room.

“I suppose,” John says with a heavy sigh, “we should just go out there and get this over with.”

Roger bites his lip and nods. He takes a moment to think about why he’s doing this; for the late nights they’ve spent arguing over song lyrics and rehearsing until their hands and fingers and voices were raw, for their love of music and bringing that joy to other people. For John. For Freddie. _For Brian_.

When they step back out into the reception area, the anxiety really hits Roger. He’s never felt so exposed before, both physically and emotionally. The only thing that’s keeping him from running back to that changing room is John’s calming presence beside him.

Brian and Freddie stand when the subs approach them, and Roger doesn’t miss the way their eyes drink in the sight in front of them.

“Well done, Rog,” Brian praises immediately with a reassuring smile. “I’m really proud of you.”

That tiny bit of praise makes Roger’s heart flutter.

“Thank you, Master.” Roger tries to return the smile. 

“You’re beautiful,” Brian says, caressing his sub’s cheek. “You too, Deaky. You’re stunning. Such beautiful boys.”

“Thank you, sir.” John has a heavy blush on his face.

Freddie takes hold of John’s chin and tips his face up gently so that their eyes meet. “You have no idea, John, how proud I am to be your Dom right now.” He leans forward and kisses John gently, their lips moving against each other for a few seconds in a tender moment. It’s incredibly intimate and Roger can’t help but feel as if he’s intruding by watching. 

“I’m proud to be your sub, Master,” John says a little shakily when they part. 

Their moment is interrupted however by the receptionist returning to announce that Ray Foster is ready to see them.

“Alright lads,” Brian sighs, “Are we ready for this?”

“Hell yeah.” Freddie pushes his sunglasses further up his nose.

“Yes, sir.” There’s a hint of confidence in John’s voice.

Roger looks Brian in the eyes, drinking in the kindness there to fuel his courage. “Yes, Master.”

*****

Ray Foster’s office is on the first floor of the building, which means it’s only a short walk down a corridor, up a flight of stairs, and down another corridor. It must only take them a few minutes to walk from the reception to their destination, but to Roger it feels like an _eternity_.

Despite the seemingly deserted appearance of the reception area, it quickly becomes clear that this is a busy place of work, and there are people everywhere. Doms in business dress scurry in and out of meeting rooms, papers and briefcases weighing them down, and there are even a few subs carrying stacks of papers too, seemingly unphased by their own nakedness. Roger can’t imagine what it must be like to work in a place like this as a sub.

But the fact that there are other naked subs around does nothing to make Roger feel any less exposed.

He attempts to hold his head high as they are led down the wide corridor at a brisk pace. He wants to show the people in this place that he doesn’t fucking care; one day he’ll be a rock star and every Dom who’s ever ogled him won’t be able to come anywhere near him. But that doesn’t stop his face from burning or his heart from pounding.

Brian and Freddie walk in front with the two subs behind them; doing otherwise would seem odd to anyone paying them any attention. Roger wishes that Brian were standing here beside him, comforting him and keeping him safe from the occasional leering glare he receives from a passing Dom.

Roger glances to his left, and feels a surge of overwhelming protectiveness wash over him when he sees John’s face flushed red with shame, his eyes wet with unshed tears. He’s hiding it well and it’s probably not noticeable to those who are passing them quickly, but Roger can tell that the younger man is trembling slightly.

Roger discreetly manoeuvres himself closer to John as they walk, and he takes the other sub’s hand in his own and squeezes.

_I’m right beside you._

John squeezes back gratefully but doesn’t let go, and they continue to walk hand in hand as they make their way through the building.

As they climb the stairs, Brian glances back to shoot them both a comforting gaze. 

“You’re doing so well,” he says softly, and it’s clear from his voice that he longs to do more than just comfort them with words. “Both of you- you’re doing so incredibly well.”

Freddie glances back quickly too, his eyes lingering sadly where the subs’ hands are joined. “You’re doing brilliantly. Absolutely brilliantly. John, sweetheart, think about how I’m going to reward you tonight, hm? Think about how good I’m going to make you feel, you lovely thing.”

John lets out what sounds like a cross between a half choked sob and a hiccup, clearly overwhelmed by the praise. 

“We’re nearly there, Rog,” Brian says a little more quietly, as if he’s speaking just to Roger. “Christ, you’re amazing. You’ve only been mine a day and you’re already the best sub I’ve ever had.”

Roger soaks in the praise as if he’s never had a word of approval in all his life.

By the time they finally arrive at Ray Foster’s office, Roger’s legs feel like jelly and John is squeezing his hand so hard that he’s afraid the younger man might break it.

In hindsight, Roger wishes he’d known that their walk to the office had been the easy part of their visit.

*****

Ray Foster’s office is drab, dark and cold.

Roger wonders if Ray deliberately keeps the room a few degrees cooler than the rest of the building to make any subs who enter feel incredibly uncomfortable. If so it’s certainly working; all the hairs on his skin are standing on end. But he’s not entirely sure if that’s being caused by the coldness of the room or the coldness of the man.

Ray is everything that Roger imagined a sleazy record executive might be. He’s a stocky man with a thick beard and dark glasses, which fail to hide the way his eyes linger on John’s arse or on Roger’s nipples. There’s something about him that makes Roger incredibly uneasy.

There’s a small sofa in the middle of the room facing Ray’s desk, which Brian and Freddie are squeezed onto. Roger and John sit on the floor at their feet, and the thick rug makes Roger’s arse itch uncomfortably.

He barely listens as Ray makes small talk with Brian and Freddie, running through the introductory pleasantries, and he feels more naked sitting here than he did walking through a corridor of people. He’s starting to feel nervous again, until he feels Brian’s fingers stroke through his hair, petting him gently as the older man starts telling Ray about how they formed the band. Brian’s touch grounds Roger, and reminds him that he’s not here suffering alone.

“Fascinating,” Ray says, stroking his beard. “And how much input do the subs have in your music?”

“Full input,” Freddie says immediately. “They’re two of the most talented musicians and songwriters you’ll hear today in the music industry. We wouldn’t be Queen without them.”

Ray chuckles. “Well that’s good to hear. I must admit that I don’t take on many bands with sub artists.” His eyes glance down at John beneath his glasses, and he licks his lips. “They’re far too distracting.”

Roger can’t help himself. “Maybe we wouldn’t be so distracting if we were allowed to wear clothes.”

Ray’s gaze snaps to Roger and Brian’s fingers stiffen in Roger’s hair.

It takes all the effort Roger can muster to force an apology. He knows that if he doesn’t, he could jeopardise everything they’ve worked for.

“Sorry,” Roger says through gritted teeth, before quickly tagging on the forgotten _sir_.

“What a mouthy little sub you have, Brian,” Ray chuckles, seemingly amused. “It’s the feisty subs that do well in this business. Although personally I prefer the quiet demure ones.” He smiles at John, and Roger knows that if they were in any other situation, Freddie would have punched Ray by now.

“We’re busy men,” Freddie says a little coldly, “and I’m sure you are too. Shall we just get to it?”

“Yes!” Ray laughs and claps his hands together. “Let’s get to it, boys. Now I take it you’ve read through the contract thoroughly?”

“Yeah,” says Brian, resuming stroking Roger’s hair. “We’ve all read it.”

“Excellent, excellent. So you know that we’ll start off with one album for now, and we’ll talk about the possibility of future records once we see how the numbers are looking post-release.” Ray shuffles through some papers in front of him. “I must say though, on a side-note, I am a little disappointed to see that your subs are claimed. I had been told by a reliable source that they weren’t.”

Roger’s heart rate starts to pick up again. He tries to remind himself that he _is_ claimed, and there’s nothing that Ray Foster can do to change that.

“It’s a recent development,” Freddie says immediately. “I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later, given how close we are. Isn’t that right, darling?” He reaches down to caress John’s face possessively.

Ray regards this gesture with a calculating gaze. “I suppose it was. I’d better pass round this contract then, eh?”

The papers are passed round for each of them to sign; Roger is last. While the others take a few minutes to skim through the contract once more, Roger doesn’t bother. He knows all the important parts by heart. He’s about to sign _Roger Taylor_ , when he notices that John has scrawled his name as _John Mercury._ He’s relieved that he’s the last to sign, otherwise he would’ve forgotten to write his new surname which potentially could have ruined everything.

He takes a deep breath, and scribbles _Roger May_ at the bottom of the page. The frightening thing is that if he weren’t wearing a collar, he would’ve just signed his life away.

“Excellent.” Ray gathers the papers and nods with a satisfied smile as he double checks their signatures. “It is a shame though that Roger and John are claimed. I had some ideas about how we might celebrate our partnership, but I’m sure you boys will have plenty of fun celebrating tonight without me.”

Roger feels a little queasy, and a quick glance at John tells him that the younger man is equally as disgusted.

“Of course,” Ray continues, removing his glasses, “you do understand that if your claims on your subs were to...dissolve...or if it were discovered that your claims are not, ah, _genuine_ \- well, that would change things.”

“Not genuine?” Brian frowns. “What the hell would make you think our claims aren’t genuine? Roger is my sub, and John is Freddie’s. It’s incredibly insulting that you’re suggesting otherwise.”

Ray holds his hands up placatingly. “I’m not suggesting anything. I’m simply making you aware. If anyone were to have suspicions about your relationships, you could be in breach of your contract and the company could have you investigated. And if you were found to be lying and guilty of fraud, I could tear off your subs’ collars and have them right here in front of you.”

The atmosphere in the room is suddenly stifling. Roger feels sick again.

“How fucking dare you,” Freddie seethes.

“It’s not uncommon,” Ray continues, “for groups in your position to form fake relationships. Doms pretend to claim subs, they commit fraud, and it’s all very sad and pathetic. Now I’m sure this is all very genuine, but you have to understand how this might look from our perspective, given that this time last week your subs were unclaimed.”

They sit there in stunned silence. _Jesus Christ_ , Roger thinks. _He knows_. He suddenly has visions of Brian and Freddie being carted off to prison in handcuffs, as Roger is forced to watch Ray Foster bend John over his desk with a cruel laugh-

“And of course, if you’d read the contract thoroughly boys, you’d know I’m perfectly entitled to ask your subs to prove they’ve been claimed by you right here and now.”

“What do you mean _prove_?” Brian asks, sounding less than pleased.

“A blowjob should be fine,” Ray says dismissively with a shrug of his shoulders. “And I’ll be satisfied if I have a demonstration from just one of the two subs.”

Roger can’t believe this is happening. He thought that once they signed the contract, they’d be safe. But he knows they’re going to have to go through with this. Legally Ray can demand both Roger and John to prove that they’re claimed, and if they refuse, it’ll only look suspicious. There’s a real danger that Brian and Freddie could be charged with fraud.

He can tell from Freddie and Brian’s silence that they’re having similar thoughts.

Ray’s eyes drift to John. “How about you, sweetheart? Suck Freddie’s cock right here and now, and we can all go home and carry on with our lives. My doubts will be erased and you’ll have your contract.”

John is white as a sheet, his eyes wide like a deer in headlights. He looks so terrified that Roger knows he has to intervene.

“I’ll do it,” Roger says quickly. The words come out with more confidence than he feels.

Ray chuckles and turns his gaze to Brian. “That’s the second time today your sub has spoken out of turn. I do hope you intend to punish him accordingly later. It’s for his own good really, otherwise he’ll end up talking back to the wrong person.”

“ _I’ll_ decide what’s good for _my_ sub,” Brian retorts angrily.

“I meant no offence,” Ray drawls. “Now we can sit here all day and point fingers, or we can get this over with and you can get started on your album. Brian, are you happy for Roger to demonstrate his submission to you? If not, I think we’ll need to have a different kind of conversation.”

Roger looks up at Brian, and this time it’s _him_ giving Brian a comforting look. He wants to tell Brian that he can do this. He can get them out of this mess.

Brian must know that the only alternative is that John will be forced to do this instead; he gives a barely audible sigh before nodding, giving Roger a tiny apologetic look.

“Fine,” Brian says, his voice emotionless. “But afterwards I expect you to let us just get on with the album. And I don’t want you anywhere near our subs.”

Ray clicks his tongue. “Ok. You’d better get on with it then.”

Brian strokes Roger’s hair gently again. “Alright, Rog. Show him what you’ve got.”

He says it as if this is something they’ve done a million times before. Roger knows he’s going to have to act as if it is; he can’t afford to show any hesitation, or any sign of unfamiliarity.

He manoeuvres himself so that he’s on his knees facing Brian between the older man’s open legs. He can’t help but catch John’s horrified expression as he does so, and he can’t help but wish that he was performing his first blowjob on Brian in private.

Roger tries to stop his fingers from trembling as he reaches for Brian’s belt. He tries to imagine that they’re alone in Brian’s bedroom, that Brian has commanded him on to his knees in a loving tone, that Roger has willingly accepted.

But he can feel Ray’s eyes burning into his back, and he’s very aware of Freddie and John sitting silently to his right.

Brian eventually takes pity on him and helps Roger fish his cock out of his trousers and underwear.

“Don’t be nervous, love,” Brian says softly. “Show everyone how well you can suck my cock.”

It’s an act. Everything Brian is saying is an act. And even though Roger knows that the pet name is for show, it still makes his heart bubble. He wants to do this well; he wants to please Brian. Roger knows that him being mouthy earlier was probably incredibly embarrassing for his Dom. He wants to make it up to Brian now; he wants to make it up to all his bandmates.

“Yes, Master,” he says with determination.

He gives Brian’s cock a few tentative strokes, feeling a little more confident when Brian strokes his hair approvingly. It seems to take an eternity to coax the other man to hardness, and Roger knows it’s probably because they’re being watched and this isn’t the sexiest possible environment, but a little voice inside him is telling him that it’s because he’s not sexy enough, or because he’s making a mess of this, or because he’s _not a good sub_.

Brian lets out a pleased hum, and Roger wonders whether it’s genuine or if it’s just part of the show.

He can see Freddie stroking John’s hair comfortingly out of the corner of his eye. Roger wonders what his friends must think of him now. No matter how good a drummer he is, Roger knows this will be the image of him that is fucking burned into his friends’ brains.

He licks his lips to wet them before lowering his head into Brian’s lap with one last moment of eye contact with the older man. He runs his tongue up one side of Brian’s cock before circling the head, being careful not too apply too much pressure. He can feel Brian playing with his hair, lifting it from his shoulders and smoothing it down again, tracing the shell of his ear with one finger. He knows it’s meant to be comforting, to remind him that he’s not alone; but it’s having the exact opposite effect, drawing attention to the fact that he’s being watched.

Brian lets out a moan when Roger finally takes his cock in his mouth, and that _does_ sound genuine. It’s a little bit clumsy as Roger starts to suck, slowly finding his rhythm, but he can feel Brian’s thighs tense where they’re bracketing him, and the older man has a tight grip on his hair. 

“ _Roger_ ,” Brian sighs, making eye contact with him. “You’re so good. You’re amazing, Rog.”

Roger tries to focus on the praise as he continues his task. Normally he would get some enjoyment from performing this particular activity, and he’d always thought that he’d love doing it for Brian if he ever got the chance, but he’s finding it difficult to get into any kind of sexy mood with an audience present.

Luckily he’s angled in such a way that he can only see Brian, and he knows that the Dom chose to stay in this position deliberately. He can sense John and Freddie’s presence to his right though, and even worse he can hear what sounds like laboured breathing coming from the direction of Ray’s desk behind him.

“Almost there, love,” Brian says encouragingly, and Roger’s heart aches a little in response to a sentiment he knows is being used for show. “You’re doing so well, Rog.” He’s starting to sound a little breathless.

“You should be watching this, John,” Ray chuckles from behind Roger. “I want you to watch this, unless you want me to ask _you_ to demonstrate your submission too?”

There’s a sniff from John’s direction.

“Good lad. You should use this as an opportunity to learn from this, John, maybe pick up some techniques? I’m sure you and Freddie will thank me for this someday.”

Roger half expects to hear Freddie shoot an insult back, but the only sound in the room is him slurping around Brian’s cock. Freddie must understand now that any resistance will only make things worse.

Roger starts bobbing his head in earnest now, using his tongue and lips in any way he can to make this end quickly. He tries to block out the stares of the people around him with thoughts of why he’s doing this- for the chance for them to achieve their dreams and keep Queen alive.

“ _Rog_ ,” Brian gasps as Roger attempts to deepthroat him, pulling back a little as he nearly chokes, “I’m close.”

Despite the ache in his jaw, Roger takes it as a sign to pick up the pace. One of the things he’s always loved has been ignoring his own needs for a Dom’s pleasure, but he’s never pleasured this particular Dom before, and the insecure part of him wonders what will happen if he fails to make Brian come.

It turns out he doesn’t have to worry about that though, because moments later he feels Brian twitch in his mouth and moan, before tasting bitterness on his tongue.

Roger has never really enjoyed having men come in his mouth; he’s never liked the taste and he’s always found it a little degrading. But he swallows every drop, because he knows that to do otherwise would look suspicious.

He pulls off Brian’s cock spluttering a little, his vision blurry with tears as he coughs and wipes his mouth. 

“Well done, Rog,” Brian says, shakily tucking himself back in after taking a moment to recover, before caressing the younger man’s face. “You did brilliantly.”

“Brilliantly indeed,” laughs Ray, slipping his glasses back on as Roger turns round to look at him.

He’s never wanted to kill anyone more in his life.

Roger risks a glance at John, who looks utterly miserable, his cheeks wet with freshly shed tears.

Freddie looks _murderous_.

Ray grins at them all. “Well, I think we’ve settled that. I accept that your subs are truly claimed.” His gaze shifts to John. “But maybe we can give you a go next time, sweetheart? We wouldn’t want you to feel left out now, would we?”

“Are we done?” Freddie snaps, something dangerous in his voice.

Roger blocks everything out as Brian and Freddie hash out the final details with Ray, his blood still roaring in his ears. It’s only now just starting to hit him, what he’s just done in front of the three people he loves and respects more than anyone in the world. He can’t imagine what they must think of him.

He vaguely registers Brian and Freddie reluctantly shaking hands with Ray and gathering up the paperwork, before Brian is pulling him to his feet firmly but gently.

“I’m looking forward to working with you, boys,” Ray says with a smug grin. “I’ll see you in a few months when you have something for me to listen to, and we’ll go from there. In the meantime, you can get in touch with my assistant if you need anything.” He winks at John. “I’m happy to help in any way I can.”

Roger just wants to get the hell out of here. He wants to get out of this office, away from this man, and forget this afternoon ever happened.

He’s aware of John taking his hand and squeezing as they leave, and Roger is incredibly grateful for the younger man guiding him out of the room. His legs feel like jelly.

Brian and Freddie lead the way again, and the walk downstairs back to the reception doesn’t seem as endless as it did on the way up here, but this time nobody says a word. Brian glances back briefly with a concerned look on his face, and Roger doesn’t even have the energy to reassure the Dom that he’s ok.

When they’re back in the reception, Brian caresses Roger’s cheek and even gives John’s arm an affectionate rub.

“I don’t know what Fred and I have done to deserve you two,” Brian says softly.

“You were both amazing,” Freddie agrees. “Why don’t you both go and get dressed, and we can talk more when we get home?”

Roger and John don’t bother to respond and make their way over to the changing room briskly, still holding hands.

When they’re finally in private, John pulls Roger into a crushing hug.

Roger is so emotionally drained that he’s not even bothered that they’re still naked, and he just lets John hold him. It’s the first time he’s felt safe all afternoon.

“I’m sorry,” John whispers in his ear, his whole body shaking. “I’m _so_ sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,” Roger says, his voice cracking a little as he rubs the younger man’s bare hip. “I didn’t realise it would be this hard.”

They separate to gather their clothes and attempt to dress in silence. John barely manages to get his underwear on before he breaks into a sob.

And of all the things Roger’s seen and experienced today, _this_ is the thing that upsets him the most. _This_ is the thing that truly breaks his heart- watching John Deacon trying to pull his underwear up his thighs with shaking hands as tears stream down his face. _This_ is the thing that breaks him.

“Oh, _Deaky_.” Roger abandons his own clothes and rushes over to assist his friend. “It’s ok; you’re safe now. It’s just you and me. Here, let me help you.” He helps John tug his underwear up over his hips, before grabbing his jeans.

“Sit down John, let’s get your trousers on. Lift your leg up for me, shh it’s alright, you’re alright. Here we go, that’s it. Ok, other leg for me now...that’s it, well done.”

He helps the younger man dress until John has calmed down enough that he can pull his own t-shirt over his head.

“God, I’m so pathetic,” John mumbles, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. “You’re the one who had to...”

He trails off, biting his lip.

“You’re not pathetic,” Roger says firmly. “You are one of the bravest people I’ve ever met, John. You were so brave today, and Freddie was really proud of you.” He wipes John’s tears from his cheeks with his thumbs. “And I’ll bet Freddie will have a nice reward waiting for you tonight, eh? Think about how lovely that will be.”

“I don’t deserve a reward,” John says miserably. “I should have just agreed to blow Freddie. Instead I just sat there like a whimpering idiot.”

Roger kisses his cheek. “I don’t want to hear you talk like that. Honestly it was fine, and it’s over now. I’m so glad you were here with me; I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d been on my own.”

John seems to reluctantly accept this, and folds his arms over his chest thoughtfully as Roger pulls his own clothes on.

When they’re both dressed, they hug again. It’s not that they’re trying to avoid going outside to see their Doms, but they could both use a few minutes alone to collect themselves after the afternoon’s events.

Just being able to be held by John and to breathe in his scent is already making Roger feel better.

“Let’s go home,” John mumbles into Roger’s hair.

Roger can’t think of anything he wants to do more.

******

Dinner that evening is one of the most awkward meals they’ve shared during their time as a band.

They haven’t talked about what happened that afternoon since arriving home, and there’s an odd tension in the air as they take their seats at the kitchen table in silence.

John, however, avoids eye contact with everyone as he grabs his plate and sits on the floor at Freddie’s feet.

“Darling, we’re in private,” Freddie says immediately, stroking the younger man’s hair. “You know you only have to sit at my feet when there are other people around. Sit up here with the rest of us.”

John bites his lip, glancing up at them nervously. “I’d rather sit down here tonight if that’s ok.”

Roger understands the need to act on submissive urges; he gets them all the time himself, but after today’s events, John’s behaviour is a little worrying. He can’t help but wonder if just one afternoon at Foster Records has been enough to break John’s spirit completely.

“What’s got you acting like this, eh?” Freddie’s voice is soft, concerned, as he brushes a thumb over John’s cheekbone. “Are you going to tell me why you’re being so silly, lovely?”

John shrugs, his expression unreadable. “I don’t deserve to sit with you tonight.”

Roger’s heart drops. He can see Brian frowning, looking equally concerned.

“Deaky,” Roger says quietly, “it’s ok. Honestly. I’m fine; we’re fine. You’ve done nothing wrong. Please come and sit with us.”

“I’m sorry,” John says, avoiding eye contact again as his voice wobbles a little. “I should be punished. What happened to Rog this afternoon...I could have stopped it. It should have been me. Instead I just sat there like an idiot. Fucking _pathetic_.”

Freddie looks at John as if he’s gone mad. “John, sweetheart, what the hell are you talking about? There’s nothing you could have done to stop what happened. Your behaviour this afternoon was exemplary.”

“It’s my fault that Rog had to...do that. In front of everyone. If I had just done it....” John hangs his head, resigned. “I deserve to be punished.”

Roger cuts in. “If anyone deserves to be punished, Deaky, it’s me. I’m the one who was being mouthy and probably provoked the whole thing.”

“Woah,” Brian finally says. “Wait a minute. Let me make this clear; _nobody_ is going to be punished. Isn’t that right, Fred?”

“That’s right,” Freddie replies firmly.

Brian glances between the subs. “Despite what you might think, neither of you disobeyed me or Fred. Neither of you broke any rules, so neither of you will be punished. Fred and I were so proud of you today. You were so incredibly brave and it’s thanks to the two of you that Queen will actually have a shot. Any mistakes you feel you made today are mistakes that we will have made as your Doms too, either by not being clear enough in our expectations of you or by not giving you the support you need to build your confidence. These are things we can deal with together.”

Freddie nods. “We probably need to be a bit better at being intimate with each other in public, but that will come in time I’m sure.” He traces John’s chin gently, tipping the younger man’s face up so their eyes meet. “Remember what we talked about last night? Tell me what you are, John.”

John blushes. “ _Fred_.”

“Tell me. In front of Brian and Roger. Tell me what you are.”

John swallows, his face flushing. “I’m b-bold, brave and...”

“And?”

“Beautiful.”

“ _Beautiful_ ,” Freddie agrees, leaning in to kiss the younger man chastely. “Bold, brave and beautiful. Don’t you ever forget, love.”

The endearment takes Roger back to earlier that afternoon. Freddie says it with such genuine affection that Roger can’t help but feel happy that John is being taken care of by the best possible Dom for him.

John still refuses to sit at the table but he does agree to sit on Freddie’s lap. It’s sweet to watch the two of them; it looks as though Freddie claimed John years ago instead of just yesterday.

It makes Roger long for something he can’t quite put his finger on.

*****

Roger wants nothing more than to pass out and forget the events of the day when he collapses into bed, but no matter how hard he tries, he can’t fucking sleep.

“Rog.” Brian’s voice is quiet in the darkness. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” Roger sighs. “Peachy.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

A strong arm wraps around Roger’s waist, pulling him closer to the older man.

He knows that Brian’s intentions are good, but he’s really not in the mood for this. He doesn’t want to relive today any more than he has to.

“Not really,” Roger says quietly after a slight pause. “It’s fine, Bri. We have the contract, that’s all that matters.”

“That’s _not_ all that matters.” Brian’s lips are so close to Roger’s ear that he can feel the Dom’s breath tickling his skin. “ _You_ matter. _John_ matters.”

Roger shrugs. “You can only protect us so much.” He turns to lie on his side and face Brian, struggling to make out his features in the dark. “I really am sorry for being mouthy, you know. I know I’m not the best sub role model there is. I’m sorry for embarrassing you today.”

“Embarrassing me?” Brian rubs Roger’s shoulder with one hand. “I was fucking proud of you, Rog. I was proud of you for protecting John and for doing things I know I would never have the courage to do. I think you’re an amazing sub role model.”

Roger snorts. “Yeah, ok. If you say so.”

Brian kisses his temple. “I’m really sorry you had to do what you had to do in front of everyone today.”

“Honestly, Bri, it’s fine. The alternative would’ve been us being done for fraud and you probably would have been carted off to prison.”

Brian holds him a little tighter. “I promise I’ll do better. I’ll be a better Dom for you; I’ll protect you in any way I can. You were incredible today and I’m so proud that you’re my sub.” He caresses the skin above Roger’s collar.

Roger closes his eyes and drinks in the praise as if it’s been years since he’s had any kind of affection.

He sighs and settles in to Brian’s warm embrace. It’s been a trying day, but they finally have a contract. Queen is _finally_ going to be _something_.

He just hopes that it will all be worth it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys start recording their first album, but there are some frustrations to overcome first...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you once again for all the support and kind words! We’re nearly halfway there. As always, very happy to chat or answer any questions.

Their first session in a recording studio is a surreal experience for Roger.

It’s like something from a dream. He finds himself stumbling through rows of microphones and dials and knobs, tracing his fingers over the glass of the isolation booth. Brian, Freddie and John look equally as dazed as they take in their surroundings. It’s more than anything they could have hoped for, and Roger can’t quite believe that they’re actually _here_ , about to record Queen’s first album.

Freddie takes off his sunglasses and looks around appraisingly. “This will do nicely.”

It doesn’t take them long to explore everything; it’s the first time in a while there’s been this kind of excited energy between the four of them. They examine the equipment carefully; John in particular seems to enjoy fiddling with the various switches and dials, and they take their time setting up their instruments in their preferred layout. It reminds Roger of when they first used to play gigs together, right after they recruited John. Making music has always helped them to forget all the shit they’ve been going through, and even now that’s no exception.

They’ve been offered the services of a sound engineer, a quiet Dom who introduces himself as Steve. He shows them around the studio, mostly leaving them to explore, and he listens politely while they outline the songs they’ve been working on for the last few months and the concept of the album.He doesn’t even blink when Roger interrupts Freddie to excitedly tell Steve about the song he’s written himself.

“Modern Times Rock ‘n’ Roll?” Steve says with a smile, as he reads over the lyric sheet.

“I wrote it in two days,” Roger says proudly. “Uh, _sir_ ,” he quickly adds when he realises he’s forgotten the expected title.

“Oh don’t worry about all that crap,” Steve laughs, waving one hand dismissively. “I don’t really care what you call me or how you behave towards me in the studio. As far as I’m concerned, this is your space. You call the shots. I’m just here to help you get the job done as easily as possible.”

Roger’s a little taken aback by this. He’s met very few Doms in his life who have been unconcerned with status protocol and etiquette, although he supposes they are in a private environment. It’s unusual behaviour from a Dom, but it’s nice to be told that he doesn’t have to worry about all that stuff and he can just focus on recording this album.

“Oh.” Roger smiles. “Thanks, um, _Steve_.” He emphasises the name; addressinga Dom stranger as anything other than _sir_ is a luxury he’s never experienced before.

Steve returns the smile. “No problem. I heard you were a progressive bunch anyway. I’ve never worked with a band with two subs before, so I’m quite intrigued. It’s great to hear you’ve written your own song, although it’s a damn shame you can’t be credited for it.”

Roger shrugs. “I take what I can get. It’s a bit shitty that me and John can’t be credited in the same way that Brian and Freddie can, but they find other ways to recognise us.”

“It’s great they’re so supportive of you.” Steve nods. “I haven’t met many Doms in this business who’ve been so open to ideas from subs. You all seem to gel really well as a group.”

Roger glances over at Brian at the other side of the studio, who’s tuning the Red Special and watching John fiddle with an amp.

“Yeah,” Roger says quietly. “We do.”

Despite Steve’s helpfulness and their initial excitement, their first recording session actually turns out to be a bit of a disaster.

The first song they attempt is _Seven Seas of Rhye_ , and Freddie, ever the perfectionist, makes them spend nearly three hours going over the same thirty second section. Roger feels as though he’s banging his head against a wall, and soon the fatigue begins to set in and tempers start to fray.

“The timing needs work,” Roger sighs, tapping one of his drumsticks against his thigh. “This track is too slow at the moment.”

“Really?” Freddie raises an eyebrow. “You think it should be faster?”

“It’s creeping at the moment,” Roger says with a roll of his eyes. “Honestly, I was falling asleep over here. I could play this with my eyes closed.”

He wants to say that this whole session is creeping at the moment, but he knows he’s already rocking the boat enough as it is.

“This is Freddie’s song,” Brian points out. “I think we should take his steer on the timing.”

Freddie nods. “I think it’s good as it is. We do need to focus on the harmonies a bit more.”

“The harmonies are _fine_ , Fred,” Roger sighs, his frustration growing. “I’m telling you- we just need to pick up the pace a bit.”

Brian turns to John. “What do you think, Deaky?”

John strums a cord thoughtfully on the bass. “I agree with Fred. The harmonies are a little off. But I think the timing works for this one.”

Roger can’t help but feel a little betrayed. John is often the neutral party in the band; he’s the tie-breaker when they have arguments. Since joining the band John has generally alternated between who he sides with in an argument depending on how his opinion could best be used to soothe over any tensions, but as of late he’s been starting to agree with Roger more as they’ve become closer. Roger has always seen the only other sub in the band as a trusted ally; John is the one he can count on to back his opinions, so he’s a little disappointed when the younger man takes Freddie’s side on an issue where he usually would have supported Roger.

“There you have it,” Brian says. “It’s Freddie’s song, he thinks the timing is fine, so does Deaky. Now, can we just bloody get on and-“

“Of course _Deaky_ agrees with Freddie,” Roger scoffs, unable to hold it in any longer. “Now that he’s Freddie’s fucking sub, he doesn’t really have much of a choice, does he?”

“It’s not that, Roger,” John says, looking slightly shocked at the other sub’s outburst. “I think you’re making a valid point, but if we speed it up any more, the bass line is going to be more difficult to-“

“Fine!” Roger throws down his drumsticks, too riled up to listen to anything else anyone has to say. “You go ahead and defer to the Doms. Side with the person you’re sleeping with who could punish you if you dare disagree with him.”

“Roger,” Brian scolds, “that’s _enough_.”

“Fuck off, Bri!” Roger rolls his eyes. “I don’t give a shit anymore.”

He can’t take being in this small studio with them all. It’s not even the song he’s angry about anymore; it’s the fact that his opinion has been disregarded so quickly. It’s the fact that the person who would usually back him up on things like this has left him outnumbered, and he has a horrible feeling that this is going to be a pattern from now on; a dangerous precedent has been set. Roger can’t help but think that John feels obliged to take Freddie’s side for everything now that he’s claimed.

He has to go and get some air, so he avoids looking at the stunned faces surrounding him as he storms out of the studio.

Roger mooches around outside without a jacket and lights himself a cigarette, ignoring the bitterly cold wind lapping at his skin. He’s starting to wonder whether Queen is really worth this. The Doms claiming him and John has allowed them to have this contract without giving up the little freedom that they have, but he wonders if perhaps the price is too high. The claims have also brought restraints, and he can’t help but think the shift in their dynamics is actually going to be something that ends up stifling their creativity. Before this, they saw each other as equals, but now they are two pairs- two halves of one whole.

The sound of a door opening brings Roger back from his thoughts.

Brian suddenly appears beside him, holding Roger’s coat. “You forgot this.”

“Thanks,” Roger says a little sheepishly, taking the coat gratefully. It’s fucking freezing and he can’t feel his toes.

Brian puts his hands in his pockets. “I think we’re going to call it a day. It’s been a long one and we’re all tired.”

Roger nods, unable to decipher Brian’s tone. His stubbornness and pride won’t quite let him apologise just yet, but he can sense there’s a lecture coming. The disappointment is practically radiating from the older man. 

Brian puts an arm around Roger’s waist and rubs his hip beneath his coat. The gentle touch is unexpected, and despite the warmth of the older man’s hand it makes Roger shiver a little.

“Look Rog, I don’t know what that was about in there, but I know there’s something else going on that you’re not telling me about. You’re clearly still a bit upset, so we’ll talk about this more when we get home.”

He presses a kiss to Roger’s temple before leaving him to his thoughts, disappearing as quickly as he’d arrived.

Roger sighs. He’s not entirely sure if this will result in some kind of punishment later, as Brian is yet to punish him properly, but right now he really can’t find the energy to care.

*****

They spend the journey home mostly in silence.

When they arrive back at the flat, Freddie ushers John away to their bedroom, presumably to give Roger and Brian some space. Guilt gnaws at the pit of Roger’s stomach as John shoots him a sad look, and he can’t help but feel terrible about the way he spoke to his friend earlier that day.

“I’m going to make some tea,” Brian says quietly, “and then we’re going to talk about what happened this afternoon. Wait for me in the living room.”

Roger does as he’s told with a heavy heart. He knows this is probably going to be an uncomfortable conversation; it reminds him of when his father used to make him wait in the living room when he’d misbehaved as a child, and the unpleasant consequences that followed. Roger decides he probably needs to start acting apologetic, so he kneels by the sofa, waiting for Brian to return. He must only be waiting a few minutes, but it feels like an eternity.

When Brian finally appears, he has two mugs of tea in his hands, and shakes his head when he sees Roger on his knees.

“No, not on the floor, Rog. I want you to sit on the sofa with me while we sort this out.”

Roger swallows and obeys, unsure whether an invitation to sit on the sofa is worse or better. Either Brian wants them to talk about this as equals, without status getting in the way and complicating things, or he’s so disappointed that he doesn’t think it’s worth Roger being his sub anymore. Roger sincerely hopes it’s the former as he takes the mug of tea he’s offered and lets it warm his hands.

“I can’t begin to tell you,” Brian sighs, “how much you disappointed me today.”

Roger’s heart drops. 

“The outright disrespect you showed not only towards my authority, but towards Deaky is not what I would expect of you,” Brian frowns. “Being rude to me is one thing, but your behaviour towards John today was unacceptable.” His expression softens slightly. “I’m tempted to give you the punishment of a lifetime you know, but I want to know what brought all this on.”

Roger stares into his mug, the word _disappointed_ echoing in his head. “I just got a bit frustrated and I lost my temper.”

“Something else is bothering you though,” Brian says quietly. “You’ve been acting odd ever since we signed that contract. You’ve been more mouthy and argumentative than usual, not just today. You’ve become withdrawn and distant. I know my claim on you wasn’t made under the best of circumstances and it’s a claim of, ah, _convenience_ , but you don’t seem to be invested in this relationship at all.”

Roger blinks. “ _I_ don’t seem to be invested in this relationship? Are you _joking_?”

“You’ve just been shutting yourself away from me, Rog. You’re not letting me in. You may be my sub now but you’re still my best friend, and I’m worried about you.”

Roger is surprised to see nothing but genuine concern on Brian’s face. The older man’s expression is devoid of the anger or the threatening glare Roger would expect to see from other Doms in this situation, and it makes Roger forget for a moment that they’re Dom and sub. They’re just two best friends, opening up to each other.

Roger decides he should just tell Brian the truth. He might never get this opportunity again.

“Bri, _you’re_ the one who’s supposed to be my Dom but you don’t fucking act like it.” Roger bites his lip when he notices the frown on Brian’s face, but decides to plough on when he isn’t interrupted. “You talk about _me_ being withdrawn and distant from this relationship, but _you’re_ the one who won’t touch me or reward me or even fucking punish me. When Freddie and Deaky are in a room together, you can tell that they are Dom and sub to each other. With us, you wouldn’t fucking know.”

Brian blinks, clearly taken aback. “Ok. Um...God, I had no idea you felt like that. But thanks for sharing that, Rog. I really appreciate it. Although I wish you had told me sooner.” He takes Roger’s hand in his own. “Maybe I haven’t been the best Dom to you so far. I guess I’ve been trying to give you your space because I know this has all happened so quickly. But I can be better. I _will_ be better for you, and I promise I’ll put more of an effort into this relationship. Ok?”

Roger nods. “Ok.”

“Ok.” Brian squeezes his hand. “So you’d like more physical affection?” He leans in and kisses Roger softly on the lips. “That’s easily done. And you want me to reward you properly for good behaviour and punish you for bad?”

Roger nods again, suddenly shy. His lips are still tingling from the kiss.

“I can do that.” Brian smiles. “Anything else?”

Roger returns the smile. “Just...treat me like _your_ sub. I’m supposed to be your sub and I really want this to work, Bri. I don’t want this to just be a claim of convenience. If we’re going to do this properly while we’re trying to get Queen off the ground, then I want this to be something meaningful between us.”

And there it is. He’s said it. He’s voiced what he’s been thinking since the moment he signed that contract.

“I want that too,” Brian says softly. “God, I want that so much; I just didn’t want to pressure you into anything too quickly. You’re my best friend, and I want you to be happy.” He gives Roger another kiss. “So let’s have a fresh start, yeah?”

“That sounds great.” Roger kisses him back, feeling a little bold.

The kiss lasts for a few moments, and Roger’s so giddy that he doesn’t even notice the blood roaring in his ears.

“Thanks, Bri,” he says a little breathlessly when they part.

Brian pats his thigh. “Please tell me next time something’s bothering you, yeah? Before it escalates like it did today.”

Roger nods and gives him a small smile.

Brian squeezes his hand again. “Good. And speaking of today...you said you wanted to be punished properly for bad behaviour, so shall we start by addressing what happened this afternoon?”

The blood roaring in Roger’s ears becomes more prominent now. He knew this had been coming, and while he’s never been a great lover of punishment, he’s glad that Brian is starting to take this seriously now.

“Ok.” Brian smiles. “So I think there’s two things we need to address here: you being rude to me today in front of a stranger as well as our friends, effectively disrespecting my authority. It was brief, but as your Dom I can’t allow that to stand. The second thing we need to address is your disrespectful behaviour towards Deaky. Would you agree that’s fair?”

Roger swallows, his tongue heavy. “Yeah. That’s fair.”

“Good. So you said you’re ok with spanking...and that includes objects? And you’re also ok with nudity here at home?”

“Yeah.” Roger can feel his face rapidly reddening.

Brian smiles. “Ok...um, I have a small whip. If that works for you? Just a cat o’ nine tails.”

Roger’s heart is thumping so loudly that he’s sure Brian must be able to hear it. “Oh. Yeah, ok. That sounds fine.”

“Good. Ok. So how about ten strokes? Five for disrespecting me and five for being disrespectful towards John? And then you can leave your clothes off for the rest of the evening. And I expect you to apologise to John, of course. How does that sound?”

It sounds like a _proper_ punishment. A punishment designed to teach a lesson, one that a Dom would give to his actual sub.

“That sounds good, Bri.” Roger can’t quite keep the tremble from his voice.

“Great. Also, we should probably have a safeword? I’m sorry, that’s another failure of mine for forgetting to talk to you about this. I know you’ll say you won’t need one but I’d like to have one just in case, which either of us can use if the need arises. Any ideas?”

Roger bites his lip thoughtfully. “How about we just go with the red, amber, green system? That’s always worked for me.”

“Good.” Brian nods, pleased, and kisses Roger’s cheek. “Everything clear? Any questions?”

Roger shakes his head. “Nope. All good.”

“Cool. Alright, well when you’ve finished your tea, why don’t you go the bedroom and undress? I’ll join you shortly. Take your time; there’s no rush.”

Roger nods happily. Despite the fact he’s about to be punished, he’s feeling optimistic that they’re finally heading in the right direction. He finds he can’t finish his tea and excuses himself to their bedroom to get ready.

He strips slowly, folding his clothes neatly.He isn’t quite sure what to do once he’s finished, so he sits on the bed, before changing his mind and deciding to kneel on the floor instead. The adrenaline coursing through his veins is making him jittery, so he taps his fingers against his thighs, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

He’s always found that the anticipation of a punishment is usually worse than the actual punishment itself, so it feels like an eternity before Brian finally enters the bedroom. Roger watches as the older man silently walks to his nightstand, opens the drawer and pulls out a short multi-tailed whip. Roger swallows when he sees it, the hairs on his skin standing on end.

Brian strokes it gently, his eyes focussed on Roger.

“Up on your feet, Rog. Stand facing the wall, legs slightly apart. Brace your hands on the wall if that will help.”

Roger obeys, getting himself into position. He takes a deep breath and braces himself as he’s been told to do. The anticipation only seems to heighten now that he can’t see his Dom.

“Alright, Rog,” Brian says calmly. “Let’s just go over this again so we’re clear. You’ll be getting ten strokes on your bum- five for being disrespectful to me and five for being disrespectful to Deaky. I want you to count each stroke out loud after you’ve felt it. If you lose track, let me know and I’ll prompt you. If you need to, use the traffic light system to let me know if it’s too much. Now say all that back to me Rog; I want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

Roger swallows. “I’ll receive ten strokes on my bum- five for being disrespectful to you and five for being disrespectful to John. I need to count each stroke out loud and I can ask for help if I forget.”

“And?”

“And I’ll use the traffic light system if it’s too much.”

“Good. Well done, Rog.” Brian’s footsteps creak on the floorboards behind him. “Alright, let’s get through this nice and quickly. You tell me when you’re ready and we’ll get started.”

Roger takes a deep breath, and focuses on a spot on the wall in front of him. “Ok. I’m ready.”

The first stroke is still a surprise to him; the sharp sting of the whip on his arse makes him yelp, and he almost forgets to count.

“One,” Roger says, trying to keep the tremble from his voice. He’d forgotten just how painful whips could be. He barely has time to for his thoughts to linger on the pain though before the second stroke hits him.

“T-two,” Roger says through gritted teeth.

Ten strokes didn’t sound like a lot when Brian had originally suggested it, but the punishment seems to go on forever. Each stroke stings more than the last, and it’s clear that Brian isn’t holding back; he’s respecting Roger’s wishes and giving him a proper punishment.

“Colour, Rog?” Brian prompts when Roger lets out a particularly sharp cry after the eighth stroke.

“ _Green_ ,” Roger says immediately, determined to finish this.

“Well done, Rog, we’re nearly there. You’re doing so well. We’re on nine now, love.”

There’s that pet name again. The one Brian’s only used in public for show up until now. It catches Roger off guard, and it leaves him unready for the ninth stroke. He quickly counts it though, and prepares himself for the last stroke.

“ _Ten_ ,” he sighs with relief when the whip hits his skin for the final time. He’s not sure if he should move from his position so he stays in place, waiting for instructions from Brian.

“Well done, Rog,” Brian praises, his hand touching the skin of Roger’s lower back and dipping down to skim the top of his arse. “You did so well. You took that punishment magnificently.”

Roger finds himself being gently pulled from his position against the wall, strong arms wrapping around him and pulling him into Brian’s chest, holding him close.

“I’m really proud of you, Rog.” Brian lifts Roger’s chin gently so that their eyes meet, and leans forward to kiss the younger man. It’s a brief and entirely chaste kiss, but the feeling behind it is unmistakeable. When they part, Brian brushes a stray strand of hair from Roger’s face and kisses his nose.

“A fresh start,” the older man says gently. “Yeah?”

Roger smiles. “Yeah.”

There’s something different between them now; it’s as if there’s an understanding that wasn’t quite there before.

“Now, I think we agreed you’ll go without clothes for the rest of this evening?” Brian raises an eyebrow. “And you’ll apologise to Deaky?”

“Yeah.” Roger’s too high from the kiss and the feeling of Brian’s arms around him to focus too much on the latter half of his punishment.

Brian takes Roger’s hand in his own and leads him out of the bedroom toward the living room. Roger has never been one to walk around the flat naked, but following their visit to Foster Records, he finds he’s not as phased being unclothed in front of his friends.

Freddie and John are in the living room having some tea when Roger trails in hand in hand with Brian. They look up but quickly avert their eyes when they notice that Roger is naked.

“Deaky,” Brian says. “Roger has something he’d like to say to you.” He gives Roger a gentle nudge towards the direction of the sofa.

Freddie takes this as his cue to leave and give the subs some space, making some room on the sofa for Roger to sit next to John. Roger sits down gingerly and shifts a little to get comfortable; his arse is feeling quite tender. He gives Brian a reassuring smile when the older man gives him a concerned look, before the two Doms disappear to the kitchen at the other end of the room to give them some privacy.

Roger tries to ignore the fact that he’s naked, and he’s grateful when John keeps his eyes trained on Roger’s face.

“I’m so sorry about this afternoon, Deaky,” Roger says softly. “I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”

“No,” John says in a clipped tone. “You shouldn’t have.”

“I was in a really bad mood and I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I know you siding with Freddie was nothing to do with your relationship with him and you always put the interests of the band first. I said that stuff because I was jealous of your relationship with Freddie.”

John frowns. “Jealous?”

“Well...yeah.” Roger glances up to check that Brian’s busy talking to Freddie. “I haven’t exactly been getting the same treatment as you. Whenever you and Freddie are together, I can tell that he’s _your_ Dom and you’re _his_ sub. I’ve been struggling to get to that point with Brian.”

“Oh.” John’s eyes flick over to the two Doms. “I didn’t realise...I suppose Freddie does pay me a bit more attention. But I just assumed Brian did the same with you in private.”

“Yeah, well. It’s no excuse. I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did. I’m really sorry.”

John gives him a small smile. “It’s ok, Rog. We’re both going through a lot at the moment.” He rubs Roger’s arm. “I’m sorry things haven’t been going as well as you’d hoped with Brian. You know you can always talk to me about that stuff if you like. We need to look out for each other. Us subs need to stick together.”

“Definitely.” Roger smiles back. “I forget how lucky I am to have a friend like you sometimes. I need to take the time to appreciate you more, mate.”

John laughs when Roger plants a sloppy kiss on his cheek and they share a quick hug. Roger feels as though a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders now that he’s earned forgiveness from John.

Despite the fact that he has to spend the rest of the evening naked, Roger feels a lot more positive than he has done in a long time. He feels that Brian is finally starting to take his role as his Dom seriously, and he knows that Freddie and John can see that too. Brian spends the evening stroking his hair and giving him little kisses on the cheek- small moments of affection that Brian seemed to think would suffocate Roger before their earlier conversation, but which he’s clearly happy to give now. The earlier tension from the studio seems to have dissolved completely, and they all easily slip back into the banter they’re used to.

When he and Brian finally retire to bed, Roger is caught off guard when he’s pressed against the wall of their bedroom and hungry lips descend on his. It’s the first passionate kiss they’ve shared, and Roger feels himself harden instantly.

“You’ve been so good this evening,” Brian whispers between kisses. “You’ve done so well.”

Roger can only moan in response to the praise as Brian’s lips trail down his throat to his shoulder.

“Hands on the wall,” Brian orders, nipping the younger man’s ear. “I want you in the same position as earlier.”

Roger is slightly confused, but does as he’s told. Does this mean he’s going to be punished again? He doesn’t understand; he thought he’d been good.

Roger turns to look at Brian over his shoulder, and is surprised to see the older man drop to his knees behind him. Brian grins at him, then parts Roger’s arse cheeks with his fingers and leans forward and-

_Oh_.

Roger has to bite his hand to keep himself from screaming. The first swipe of Brian’s tongue against his hole is _electric_. The room spins, and he tries to focus on that same spot on the wall from earlier, but his knees start to tremble.

Brian licks into him, slowly at first, teasing him, before picking up the pace and attacking the sub’s arse with his lips and tongue. Roger can’t help but cry out, and he thinks he’s saying Brian’s name but can’t be sure because he feels as though he’s lost all grip on reality.

He feels Brian reach round to grip his cock, and he only needs a few strokes before he’s coming all over himself. The mixture of the tongue in his arse, the hand on his cock and the memory of the praise he received earlier while in this position tips him over the edge.

It takes a moment for it all to sink in, and then Roger’s knees buckle, and Brian has to grab hold of his waist to steady him. The older man guides him to the bed and lays him down gently.

“Are you ok?” Brian asks softly.

Roger nods, unable to speak.

“Good. I’m just gonna grab a cloth and clean you up a bit, ok? I’ve also got some salve in the bathroom to rub on your bum, just to stop any of these welts from getting infected or scarring. I’ll be right back.”

Roger can’t quite process what’s happening, but his heart flutters a little. Aftercare has always been his favourite part of any punishment or reward.

When Brian returns, he’s carrying a wet washcloth and a small white tub. He takes a seat on the bed beside Roger and gives the sub a quick kiss on the forehead.

“Open your legs up for me Rog, I’m just gonna clean you up.”

Brian carefully rubs the cloth between Roger’s legs, up his inner thighs, over his cock and up his stomach. It feels like _heaven_.

“There we go, Rog, nice and clean eh? Alright, turn over and lie on your stomach and I’ll get some of this cream on you.”

Roger does as he’s told, and he lets out a little sigh when he feels Brian’s large calloused hands rubbing the cream across his arse cheeks. His skin is still a little sore from earlier, but Brian’s warm hands are soothing and Roger feels so relaxed that he almost falls asleep.

“Well done, Rog, all done. Let’s get you turned over. Do you need anything else? Some water? Tea? Do you want to put some clothes on?”

Roger shakes his head, feeling sated and happy. “Just wanna sleep.”

“Ok, hang on a minute and I’ll join you.”

There’s some background noise as the older man undresses and then Brian is climbing into bed with Roger, also naked. He wraps his arms around the sub and pulls him close, kissing his hair.

“A fresh start, yeah?” Brian whispers.

“A fresh start,” Roger yawns happily.

As Roger drifts off to sleep, he can’t help but think they’ve made a great deal of progress. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger discovers that John’s relationship with Freddie isn’t as perfect as he thought...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all the kudos and support- it’s been hard work but definitely very worth it!
> 
> Be warned that John is going to go through some stuff in this chapter.
> 
> As always, happy to answer questions or discuss any specific elements of this AU.

Over the following weeks, Roger finds himself becoming more and more accustomed to his role as Brian’s sub.

After the incident during their first recording session, Roger makes a silent vow to be on his best behaviour from now on, and he does something that he doesn’t do very often in his life- he _tries_. He puts all his effort into being a good sub for Brian; he knows that the success of this album is dependent on them all having a strong relationship with one another.

Roger’s effort doesn’t seem to go unnoticed; punishments are rare and rewards are frequent. He’s not perfect by any means, so he still receives the occasional spanking if he’s particularly mouthy in public or if he nearly burns the flat down when he falls asleep with food in the oven. But on the whole, Roger mainly seems to receive handjobs and rim jobs from Brian these days, which he certainly isn’t complaining about.

The thing that Roger has come to love most though is the new level of intimacy that he and Brian share. There’s no greater reward than Brian giving him a peck on the cheek after a particularly good drum solo, or holding his hand when they walk down the street, or pulling him close when they’re all at home watching TV together. Freddie and John seem to notice this shift in their relationship too, and John gives Roger a small smile whenever he sees Brian’s hand on Roger’s hip or thigh or the small of his back.

They still haven’t got round to _actual_ sex yet. Roger isn’t entirely sure about the reason for the delay; he assumes that perhaps sex will be a special reward for something he hasn’t quite achieved yet. He wonders if maybe it’s just something that all good Doms do; give their subs some space and time after they’ve been claimed before having sex with them.

He isn’t really filled with confidence about these theories though when he asks John about it.  

“Oh yes,” John says with a shy smile and a blush as he fiddles around with a screwdriver and their smoke detector, which is now a mass of wires on their coffee table. “Freddie and I have had sex.”

Roger bites his lip and takes a sip of tea. “Have you had, like, a lot of sex? Or is this just a recent development?”

 “Er.” John squints at a pair of green wires tangled together. “Well we slept together for the first time a few weeks ago. It was the night after our first recording session. And then we’ve kind of being doing it a few times a week since then.” 

Roger’s face falls.

John sighs and puts down his screwdriver. “I can tell by the delighted expression on your face that that’s the answer you were hoping for.” 

Roger leans his head on John’s shoulder. “Brian won’t have sex with me.” He can’t keep the sadness or the longing from his voice. 

John wraps an arm around the other sub, pulling him close. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing, Rog. He might just be waiting for the right moment, giving you your space. Freddie and I probably aren’t the best example. You know how impatient Fred is.”

Roger nods. “It’s not like we haven’t done _any_ sexy stuff. He gives me handjobs and he eats me out when I’ve been good. And I give him blowjobs sometimes. But he won’t fuck me, Deaky.”

“And have you talked to him about this?” John’s voice is soft, devoid of judgement.

“Er...not exactly.”

 John sighs. “Well that would probably be a good start. Tell him you want it and he’ll probably give it to you. You know he can never say no to you, Rog.”

Roger snorts. “Please. He says _no_ to me all the time. _You’re_ the one who’s got a Dom wrapped around your finger. All you have to do is bat your eyes at Freddie and he’s drooling all over you.”

John grins. “He’s very sweet.” His face turns more serious. “I’m lucky. Imagine what kind of life I would have if some other Dom claimed me.”

Roger squeezes his thigh. “Is it...good? Like it’s not all just for him, right? You get stuff out of it too?”

John’s face reddens. “Yes, of course. God, he doesn’t do anything I don’t want, Rog. This is Fred we’re talking about.” 

“I know. I know he’s good to you; I just wanted to know if he’s _really_ good to you.”

John gives him a soft smile. “He is.” He leans in and lowers his voice, as if he’s afraid they might be overheard. “It was a bit awkward at first. It was a bit weird the very first time because I’d always thought of him like a big brother, but he was slow and gentle with me. And now-“ he takes another quick glance around, lowers his voice to a whisper, “-now it’s bloody incredible, Rog. I never thought I’d enjoy being bent nearly in half and gripping my own ankles by my ears before.”

Roger laughs and squeezes John’s hand. “Oh Deaky, you little minx! And his cock?”

John laughs and covers his face with his hands. “ _Roger_!”

“I’m just interested. C’mon, Deaks, help me out here. I’m not getting any sex so the least you could do is reassure me that your Dom is screwing you right.”

John rolls his eyes. “Fine. Freddie’s very well endowed, yes.”

“And?”

“And _what_?”

“How does he feel inside you? What positions have you tried? Which did you like?”

 “You really are being nosy today, Rog,” John says. But his mouth twitches, as if this is actually something he really wants to talk about. “I love the way he feels inside me. He goes at my pace; he actually gives me a lot of control which is lovely- my last Dom used to just fuck me however he wanted and sometimes he was a bit fast. But Freddie is wonderful.”

Roger doesn’t interrupt and just gives him an encouraging smile.

John bites his lip. “We’ve tried pretty much every position you could think of. I like being on my hands and knees because it means he can get a really good angle when he’s behind me. My favourite position though is probably when I’m in his lap and I can ride him, because we can kiss and I can set the pace and he does this thing where he grips my hips-“ John cuts himself off, eyes fixed on Roger, suddenly looking embarrassed. “God I’m sorry, Rog. I’m sure you don’t want all the gory details.”

Roger only responds by giving the younger man a kiss on the cheek. “I’m just really happy that it’s working out for you, John. I knew Freddie would be good for you.”

John pulls him into a hug. “You should talk to Brian about the sex. Tell him how you feel.” 

“Yeah.” Roger swallows. “Thanks for the advice.”

His conversation with John actually does make him feel a bit better, even though he realises now that John’s relationship is leaps and bounds ahead of his own.

But he decides that he’s ok with that, and tries to focus on enjoying what he has at the moment. 

*****

Roger doesn’t have the courage to bring up sex with Brian immediately.

They’re ridiculously busy but they have a good thing going that Roger doesn’t want to disrupt; their recording sessions are going well and the album is on track according to the timelines the record label had given them. They’re all really pleased with the result so far, and Roger is feeling oddly optimistic for the first time in ages. He’s starting to feel like everything they’ve been through so far may actually be worth it.

Even Steve comments on how much happier Roger looks after one of their recording sessions.

“I love making music,” Roger says with a smile. “And I feel like what we’re making here is really special.”

John also seems to be in good spirits, and he even supports Roger’s opinion on more than one occasion in the studio. He really does seem genuinely happy as Freddie’s sub, and Roger has to wonder whether Freddie and John would eventually have fallen into a relationship anyway if they’d never had to worry about this contract.

Roger’s heart melts a little whenever he sees Freddie show any affection towards his sub, which happens more and more often these days. One moment that really sticks in his mind is when John manages to master a particularly difficult riff one afternoon and Freddie simply smiles and takes hold of John’s right hand afterwards, kissing his knuckles gently. Roger catches Brian watching the gesture with a smile on his face.

There is nothing to indicate that John might be experiencing any problems with his relationship or his role as Freddie’s sub, until Roger comes home one afternoon to find the younger man standing by the sink and doing the washing up completely naked.

“Oh,” Roger says, just in case John hasn’t noticed him walk in. “Hi, Deaky. I, uh, didn’t realise you’d be home. Thought I’d be on my own.” 

John flashes him a nervous smile, his face flushed red. “Hello, Rog. Yes, sorry, I didn’t really feel like going with Freddie and Brian to look at keyboards.” He gestures down at himself. “I’m sort of in the middle of a punishment, in case you couldn’t tell.” 

Roger has yet to see John on the receiving end of a punishment, so there’s a perverse part of him that’s a little intrigued about what John might have done to warrant this.

“Is everything ok?” Roger asks gently, remembering their heart to heart during his own punishment a little while ago. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

“It’s fine,” John shrugs, stacking dishes on the draining board. “It’s silly really. Do you remember when I had a cold last week? Well a few days before I’d gone outside without my coat on even though Freddie said I should wear one, and he thinks that’s what made me sick. He also wasn’t very happy with me when I didn’t want to take any cough medicine or paracetamol, so he said he’d punish me once I was feeling better.” John gestures down at his unclothed body again. “Ta-dah.”

Roger smiles. “Oh dear. Naughty Deaky.”

 “Fuck off,” John laughs. 

“So how long do you have to stay nak-“ Roger cuts off suddenly when he finally gets a look at John’s backside, which he now notices is covered in prominent red welts. 

“Jesus, John,” Roger says softly, concern in his voice. “What happened to your bum?”

John doesn’t meet his eyes and just shrugs. “Part of the punishment.”

 “ _Freddie_ did this to you?” Roger can’t quite keep the shock from his voice. Although Brian had given this same punishment to Roger, his Dom had taken care of his injuries that same night to ensure he’d heal properly. “When?”

“Roger,” John sighs, “it’s fine. I agreed with Freddie that he could whip me as a punishment. I consented-“

“When did he do this to you?” Roger repeats.

John finally meets his eyes. “Last night.”

“Last night?” Roger splutters. “And he just left you like this?”

John doesn’t respond.

“John, some of those welts look really raw. They could get infected or scar. Freddie should have treated them last night as part of your aftercare. That’s his job as your Dom- he can punish you but he needs to look after you when it’s over.”

John laughs bitterly, a sad look on his face. “Yeah...well. Aftercare isn’t exactly one of Freddie’s strengths.”

Roger feels his heart break a little. Aftercare has been something he’s taken for granted with Brian; he’s never had to ask for it and he always feels taken care of after any punishment or intense reward. He’d just naively assumed that Freddie would be providing the same level of aftercare for John, based on the level of intimacy they seem to share.

“Ok,” Roger says firmly. “Well, we can’t leave you like this and we can’t wait for Freddie to get home to take care of you. Brian keeps some salve in the bathroom for, er, my punishments. I can put some on you if you’re ok with me touching you?” 

John hesitates, but then gives a defeated nod.

Roger bites his lip; he’s happy to take care of his friend but it really isn’t his role. He takes John’s hand and leads him to the bathroom, before searching for what he needs. 

“Ok,” Roger says once he’s located the tub he’s looking for, taking a seat on the closed toilet lid after quickly washing his hands. “Do you want to stand in front of me and just...lean against the sink maybe? Just bend over a little so it’s easier for me to rub it in.”

John does as he’s told silently, his face completely red.

Roger unscrews the lid of the tub. “You’ve got a lot of welts here, Deaky, and I don’t want to miss any of them. So what I’ll do is just rub some of this cream all over your bum and that should cover everything. Is that ok with you?”

John shoots him an embarrassed look over his shoulder. “Yeah, ok.” 

“Ok.” Roger dips his fingers in the tub and slavers them with salve. “Sorry, this might be a bit cold.”

John hisses a little when Roger’s fingers touch his rear, rubbing the salve gently into his skin. Roger tries not to press too hard, knowing how sore welts like this can be. He smooths the cream all over John’s skin, making sure to rub it in thoroughly. 

“Alright?” Roger asks gently.

“Yeah.” John nods. “Thanks for doing this, Rog.”

Roger hums. “I’m happy to do it, although it shouldn’t really be me doing this. I don’t suppose Freddie would be too happy if he came home now and saw that you were getting your aftercare from another sub.” 

John doesn’t say anything.

“Does he do this often?” Roger asks gently, rubbing some cream into the crease between John’s right thigh and buttock. “As in does he do stuff to you and then leave you without aftercare?”

There’s a slight pause. 

“Sometimes,” John says hesitantly. “He doesn’t punish me often, but sometimes after an intense reward or some really good sex...he’ll kind of just leave me afterwards. When I could really do with a cuddle or something.”

Roger nods in understanding. “Well we can’t let him leave you like this again. How about I get Brian to talk to him? You know, Dom to Dom. Remind him about his duties to you.” 

“I don’t want to cause any trouble,” John mutters. 

“There won’t be any trouble,” Roger promises. “I’ll tell Brian that I’m the one who noticed you had untreated welts and I’m the one who insisted we take care of them. I’m sure Freddie will feel terrible about the whole thing and will want to make it up to you.”

He finishes his task and puts away the tub of salve before washing his hands again. 

“There we go,” Roger says with a smile, “all done. Hope it didn’t sting too much?”

John looks so utterly miserable that Roger immediately pulls him into a hug.

“Don’t worry, Deaky. We’ll get this sorted. I’ll ask Brian to talk to Fred.”

They stand there quietly for a moment in each other’s arms. 

“Thanks, Rog,” John says quietly. “You’re a good friend.”

He hesitates a moment, before leaning in and placing a very brief and chaste kiss to the older man’s lips. It’s a friendly kiss, one that isn’t unusual between two subs who are close to one another, and it causes a wave of affection for the younger man to wash over Roger. It makes him determined to help resolve this situation.

“Cheeky little minx,” Roger teases, but he returns the brief kiss, wanting to convey that he feels the same way about their friendship.

The broken smile John gives him is enough to shatter his heart into a thousand tiny pieces.

*****

Roger tells Brian everything that night when they’re in bed, making sure to relay the story in such a way that it won’t get John in trouble.

Brian listens to it all patiently, a concerned look on his face.

“Please talk to him, Bri,” Roger begs gently, trailing soft kisses across the older man’s jaw. “Deaky was in such a state. I know you can talk some sense into Fred.” 

Brian nods. “I’ll talk to him. He probably doesn’t even realise what he’s done.”

“Probably,” Roger agrees. “And he probably doesn’t realise what he’s doing to Deaky. We need to help them.”

Brian smiles and kisses Roger’s lips. “We do. I’m really proud of you, Rog, for looking out for Deaky like that.”

Roger blushes. “It’s what any friend would do.”

“Indeed. But I’m especially proud of you for looking after a younger sub who clearly needed your help. So how about a reward, eh?”

Roger‘s ears prick up. “A reward?”

“Mm. You did good today. What do you feel like?”

Roger knows _exactly_ what he feels like, so he decides to be bold and just ask for it.

“Well,” Roger giggles, kissing Brian’s jaw again. “I was thinking...you haven’t fucked me yet. I could really do with you pinning me down and screwing me into this mattress.” 

Brian chuckles, stroking Roger’s cheek. “When you put it like that it is very tempting...but I don’t think we’re quite there yet, Rog. How about we save that for a really special occasion, eh?”

The sting of rejection makes Roger’s chest ache, and he tries to keep the disappointment from his voice. “Um. Yeah, alright.” 

“Anything else in particular you might like?”

Roger bites his lip. “Er...you could finger me I guess?”

Brian laughs. “You _guess_? Normally you get very excited for a fingering! Alright then, legs open for me.”

It’s not that the fingering isn’t good, because it _is_. It’s amazing. Roger finds himself moaning with pleasure as Brian fingers him gently while kissing his neck. But he can’t help but long for something more.

Afterwards, he sucks Brian’s cock, which is something he’s become more practiced at now. It’s no substitute for what he really wants, but for now it’s enough.

Despite the lack of sex, Roger’s glad that he’s at least managed to secure the support he needs for John. 

*****

When they’re all having breakfast the next morning, John comes and plonks himself down on Roger’s lap. He’s wearing clothes today; a pair of jeans and one of his ridiculously awful jumpers, so presumably his punishment must be over and Brian must have already had a quiet word with Freddie first thing.

“Christ, Deaky,” Roger complains through a mouthful of toast. “You’re fucking heavy, mate.” 

“John, darling,” Freddie says with a smile. “Don’t you want to come and sit on my lap, hm? Leave poor Rog to finish his breakfast in peace.”

“No,” John says happily, reaching for the box of cornflakes. “I want to sit with Roger.” He glances at Freddie. “If that’s ok?” 

“Of course, darling,” Freddie laughs. “I understand you two are as thick as thieves now.”

Freddie and John share an understandinglook, and there’s no resentment in Freddie’s voice.Roger is just glad that they seemed to have worked everything out so quickly.

John busies himself with pouring milk over his cereal while Brian and Freddie start talking about what they want to cover in the studio today.

“Everything alright?” Roger asks quietly while the Doms are distracted.

John nods happily. “We talked about it this morning. He apologised and said he’d pay more attention to my aftercare.”

“That’s great.” Roger squeezes John’s middle. “I’m glad it all worked out.”

 John smiles. “Thanks to you.” He gives Roger a sloppy kiss on his jaw. “Maybe I can help you with your problem when you’re up to talking about it more.”

Roger glances at Brian, who’s still engaged in conversation with Freddie. He rubs John’s back thoughtfully.

His thighs are starting to go numb but he doesn’t have the heart to ask John to move, and he actually enjoys the intimacy he shares with his sub friend. It’s a different kind of intimacy from what he gets from Brian. 

“Are you all ready for today, lovely?” Roger asks instead, rubbing patterns over John’s stomach. 

“I’ve been practising.” John shoves a spoonful of cornflakes into his mouth. “I think we’re really going to nail it today.”

 “Yeah, me too.”

Freddie finally looks over at them. “Look at our subs, Bri. Don’t they look lovely together?”

“Very cute,” Brian agrees, winking at Roger.

“Fuck off,” Roger laughs, and even John pokes his tongue out at the two Doms.

Freddie grins. “Saucy little things, the both of you. Hurry and finish your breakfast now; we’ve got lots to do.” 

Their session in the studio later is one of the best they’ve ever had during their time as a band. It takes them only an hour to record one song; they manage it in just two attempts and even Freddie doesn’t have any critiques for them.

“Fucking incredible,” Freddie grins as they’re all packing up. “We were all magnificent, darlings. God, I’m so hyped right now.”

He grabs John around the waist and dips him backwards, planting a kiss firmly on the younger man’s lips. It reminds Roger of that famous photo of the sailor kissing the nurse on V-Day in New York, and John looks a little stunned but happy when they part.

Roger can’t help but think that things are _finally_ falling into place.

*****

Of course, Roger is naive enough not to think that he’d end up ruining everything sooner or later.

Over the next few weeks he’s on his best behaviour, both at home and in the studio, in the hope that he might earn some actual sex. He helps with chores around the flat, any comments he makes in the studio are polite and respectful, and he makes the effort to spend time with all his friends. 

But things manage to spectacularly crumble during one of their final recording sessions.

It’s been a particularly long session, and they’re all getting frustrated and making silly mistakes, but Roger’s noticed that John has been a little off throughout the day. He’s made a few glaring errors which are very out of character- coming in too early or too late, or even playing the wrong riff entirely. He seems distracted and unusually stoic. John is always quiet when they rehearse or record, but today he’s barely said three words. What’s even more concerning though is that he almost looks a little pained, and Roger catches him wincing once or twice when he sits and stands.

Freddie and Brian don’t seem to notice that something isn’t quite right; they’re all having a tough day and making mistakes, but Roger can tell that something is bothering John. When they take a break, Roger discreetly follows the younger sub to the men’s room to check on him.

“Are you alright?” Roger asks gently when they’re alone. “You seem a little... _off_ today.”

John stands at one of the sinks and splashes some water over his face. “I’m fine, Rog.” His tone is a little clipped.

Roger frowns. “You don’t look fine. You’re very pale...your hands are fucking shaking, John.”

“It’s nothing,” John snaps, clearly irritated. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Roger’s really starting to get worried now. “What the hell is going on?”

John leans over the sink and hisses in pain.

Roger is at his side immediately, rubbing his arm. “Jesus, Deaky. Do I need to get someone? Freddie or a doctor-“

“No,” John says quickly, his eyes wet. “No I don’t need anyone. I just.” He bites his lip, squeezes his eyes shut. “Look, if you must know, I’m in the middle of a punishment, ok? That’s all.”

Roger blinks at him. “ _That’s all_? You look like you’re about to pass out. What kind of fucking punishment?”

John looks at him, and there’s suddenly some colour in his cheeks. “Um. Freddie and I had an argument last night. I can’t even remember what it was about but it was something stupid. But I said some really nasty shit that I’m not proud of. Anyway we agreed I needed to be punished and...”

“And?” Roger prompts.

“He put something inside me.”

Roger just stands there for a moment, processing that information. “Inside you? He made you swallow something?”

“No, Rog,” John snaps. “He put something up my fucking arse.”

“Oh,” Roger says, as it finally all clicks into place.

John rubs his eyes. “It’s just a sex toy, but I think it’s, um, a little big for me.”

_Oh_. Roger suddenly starts to feel the rage boil inside him.

“We should take it out,” Roger says quietly. “If it’s hurting you, we need to take it out.”

“Freddie said I should leave it in all day.”

“Well Freddie clearly didn’t realise he’d put something inside you that was too big for you. Why didn’t you say anything to him, you daft sod? I know you want to be good for him and you don’t want to disappoint him, believe me _I_ understand that, but you need to tell him when you’re in pain or uncomfortable. Otherwise he’ll just keep doing it.”

He can tell from the miserable look on John’s face that now is not the time for a lecture.

“We’re taking it out,” Roger says firmly. “You can blame it on me, but I’m sure he’ll understand.”

John nods, paling a little. “I might need your help.” 

“Ok,” Roger agrees, trying to sound reassuring. “I can do that. Uh, shall we do this in a stall? It might be easier if I’m sitting down like we did a few weeks ago?” 

John nods, looking as though he’d rather be anywhere else in the world. Roger can understand that having your best friend poke around your arse isn’t the most dignified thing in the world, but he hopes they’re at the point in their friendship where they’ll be able to get through this relatively painlessly.

Roger quickly washes his hands before grabbing a bottle of handsoap that’s lying around. _Just in case_. 

He picks the stall at the end, puts the toilet seat down and sits on it, placing the handsoap at his feet in case he needs it. John shuffles in after him and closes the door behind him, locking it.

“We’ll just do what we did before, yeah?” Roger says gently. “You bend over a little for me and I’ll take a quick look and try and get this thing out of you as quickly as possible.”

John doesn’t answer, and begins fumbling with his belt. He pulls down his jeans and underwear until they pool at his ankles, before facing the door and bracing his hands so that he can bend forward slightly. 

Roger doesn’t need to look very hard to find what he’s looking for. Protruding from John’s arse is the tip of what looks like a large dildo, and it makes Roger’s eyes water just looking at it.

“Alright, John.” He tries to keep the tremble from his voice. “I’m going to pull it out now. Tell me if this hurts too much- I’ll be as slow and gentle as I can. I might, um, I might have to use some of this soap to help ease it a bit. Sorry, I don’t have any lube.”

“Ok,” John says shakily. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

“Good lad.” Roger takes hold of the tip of the object and tries giving it a very gentle pull, which results in a sharp hiss from John. He can’t help but wonder how the hell Freddie got this inside the younger man to begin with. “Alright, mate. Shh, it’s ok. I’m gonna go slow.”

Roger gently rocks the object from side to side, easing it out slowly. He rubs the back of John’s thigh soothingly when the younger man starts to tremble, his skin covered in sweat, easing the toy out inch by inch.

“You’re doing so well, Deaky,” Roger praises. “We’re nearly there, sweetheart. Deep breath now.” 

Roger manages to give one last gentle tug and the thing finally falls out of John, landing on the floor with a thump. The younger man lets out a relieved sigh, leaning against the door of the stall.

Roger stares at the object on the floor in horror. It’s fucking _huge_. Certainly bigger than any dick or toy that Roger’s had inside him. It’s glistening with a thin sheen of lube, although it doesn’t look like nearly enough in Roger’s opinion.

The thing that horrifies him most though, is the few spots of blood he can see dotted on the toy.

Roger sees _red_.

“Are you alright?” Roger asks, trying to stay calm.

“Yes,” John replies, clearly relieved. “I feel a lot better now.”

“You take a minute to get yourself cleaned up.” Roger picks up the toy by its tip. “I need to talk to Freddie.”

“Roger,” John says warningly, but Roger is too far beyond anger to listen.

He manoeuvres himself around John to exit the stall, storming out of the bathroom and back down the hall.

When he gets back to the studio, Freddie and Brian are sat down discussing something quietly, while Steve is listening to something through a thick pair of headphones.

“Freddie!” Roger can’t keep the rage from his voice. “What the _fuck_ is this?” He throws the toy at Freddie, which hits the Dom in the chest and lands on his lap.

Freddie and Brian both stare at the object for a moment, stunned.

Freddie looks up, confused. “Where the hell did you get this?”

“From your sub’s arse, actually,” Roger spits, not caring that he’s making a scene in front of Steve. “I just pulled it out of John in the loos because he’s been in fucking agony all day.”

“In agony?” Freddie parrots, confusion still on his face.

“Punishing someone means teaching them a lesson, Fred, not shredding their insides with a fucking massive dildo. You do realise he’ll probably never want you to fuck him again now right? He’ll probably never trust you to go near his arse ever again.”

“Roger,” Brian says warningly. “You need to calm down, love.”

“Calm down? It’s got Deaky’s blood all over it! You made him fucking bleed, Fred. And he just went along with it pretending everything was fine, because that’s what Deaky _does_ , he just wants to please you, he just wants to be a good sub-“

John makes an appearance in the room at that point, and his eyes widen when he sees what they’re all looking at.

Roger can’t help but feel a little bad now for making such a public scene of this; he knows John would probably have preferred Brian and Steve not to know anything about the toy he’s had shoved up his arse all day. The poor young sub looks _mortified_. 

“John, darling,” Freddie tosses the thing aside and makes his way over to his sub. “Why didn’t you tell me about this, my love? I thought you said it felt fine when we put it in last night?”

John bites his lip and avoids Freddie’s eyes.

“We talked about this,” Freddie says firmly. “We talked about how you need to let me know about these things. I hate the thought of hurting you, and you keeping something like this from me is really disappointing.”

_Shit_ , Roger thinks. Now he’s gone and got John in trouble for not fucking communicating properly.

“It’s just as much on you Fred as it is on him,” Roger says angrily. “He may not be telling you things, but that’s probably because _you_ don’t fucking listen. If there’s a breakdown in communication, it’s because you’re a fucking awful Dom.”

There’s a heavy silence in the air.

Brian is looking at Roger with pure disappointment.

Freddie looks as though he’s been stabbed in the heart.

John looks as though he wants to _die_.

And that’s when Roger realises that he’s ruined everything.

*****

“Say it back to me now, Rog. Why are you being punished?”

Roger blinks away the tears, ignoring the fresh sting of welts on his arse. “For questioning Freddie’s authority as a Dom in an inappropriate manner.” 

“And?” Brian prompts.

Roger’s voice wobbles. “And for humiliating John in public.”

“That’s right. I’m horribly disappointed in you, Rog. What should you have done instead today?”

Roger takes a deep breath. “Spoken to you or Freddie about it in private. I shouldn’t have made a public scene in front of Steve. I shouldn’t have been rude to Freddie. I shouldn’t have embarrassed John like that.” 

“Good.” Brian nods. Roger knows that will be the extent of the praise he will get tonight.

That evening he eats dinner on the floor, naked at Brian’s feet.

John also sits naked at Freddie’s feet, but doesn’t eat very much. It seems that failing to tell Freddie that his previous punishment was too painful is enough to warrant yet another punishment.

Roger can’t help but feel this is all terribly unfair for John, who’s had to endure so much humiliation all in one day. All because Roger couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

When John looks up, Roger tries to give him the most apologetic look he can. John just gazes at him sadly, a little broken. 

Roger can’t help but feel as though they’ve taken a giant step backwards.

They’re back at square one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roger tries to mend the cracks in Queen’s foundations...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay in updating! Hopefully it will have been worth the wait :) Thanks so much for your patience and kind words!

 

The days that follow are like a horrible dream. 

The four of them barely speak to each other at home, and the tension in the flat is so uncomfortable that Roger wonders if they’ll ever be the same again. Their recording sessions usually begin and end with arguments, and it takes them twice as long to get the results they want. The tension between them is festering and their music is suffering because of it.

Freddie seems to be in a permanently bad mood unless he’s interacting with John, who he seems to treat like glass. John is becoming more withdrawn and reserved than ever, barely saying a word or offering an opinion during their recording sessions. And Brian just seems... _indifferent_ to everything these days. It’s as if his zest for music has disappeared and been replaced by his constant concern for his bandmates.

Every night Brian will kiss Roger softly on the lips before bed, and stroke the skin at the back of his neck where his collar rests beneath his hair. But they don’t talk like they used to, and there’s certainly nothing sexual about the way Brian touches Roger. It’s almost as if they aren’t Dom and sub at all.

Roger knows that the four of them are broken and he has to find a way to fix this.

*****

He starts with the person he knows he needs to apologise to the most.

John has been unwell for the last few days with yet another cold, so he’s been spending most of the day in bed as of late. Not having the other sub to talk to has made Roger realise just how much he’s come to rely on the younger man’s friendship, and he knows this is where he needs to start if he wants to fix the cracks in Queen’s foundations.

Roger waits until Freddie has gone out to pick up some bread and milk, so he knows they won’t be interrupted, and shuffles over to John and Freddie’s bedroom. Roger stands there for a moment, staring at the door, before knocking hesitantly. There’s a cough from inside and a low groan, which Roger takes as permission to enter.

John is curled up in bed with the duvet pulled right up to his chin, looking utterly miserable. His nose is red but apart from that his face is completely pale and he looks exhausted. He’s surrounded by a small pile of used tissues.

“Hello,” Roger says quietly. He’s a little nervous; this will be the first proper conversation they’ve had since the incident a few days ago.

“Hello,” John replies, his voice croaky and a bit nasally.

“Um.” Roger shifts a little awkwardly. “Would it be alright if I talk to you for a minute? If you’re feeling up to it, that is?”

John sniffs and shrugs. “Yeah. If you want.”

Roger closes the door behind him. “Can I get you anything? Some tea? Water? Painkillers? Or maybe a cuddle?”

John’s lips twitch into the beginnings of a smile, which Roger thinks is promising. “A cuddle would be lovely, but I don’t want to make you sick.”

“I don’t get sick,” Roger dismisses, toeing off his shoes and pulling back the covers so he can settle into the bed next to John. He wraps his arms around the younger man and pulls him close, frowning when he feels how warm John’s skin is.

“You poor thing,” Roger says softly, stroking John’s hair. “You must feel awful.”

John buries his face in Roger’s chest. “I feel like shit. Why is it always bloody me who gets sick?”

“I know, it’s just not fair, is it?” Roger rubs John’s back soothingly. “Listen. I wanted to talk to you about what happened the other day.”

John stiffens. “Oh.”

Roger swallows and tightens his grip around the younger man gently.

“Look, I want to tell you how sorry I am, John. I was such an idiot. I shouldn’t have lost my temper and yelled at Freddie in front of everyone. I can’t imagine how much I must have embarrassed you and I’m so terribly sorry.”

John sniffs and reaches for a tissue. “It’s ok, Rog. I know you were only trying to help me. Even if I would’ve preferred for the world and his wife not to know I had a huge sex toy stuffed up my arse.”

“Sorry,” Roger says again. “I’m really sorry. I feel bloody awful.”

“It’s alright,” John says. “Your approach could’ve been better but it was so good to have your help that day. I really appreciate everything you did for me, especially since I know you got into trouble afterwards.”

“So did you,” Roger points out. “You got punished too. It broke my heart to see you sat at Freddie’s feet that night when you’d already been through so much. I know you hadn’t been communicating with him as well as you could have, but you didn’t deserve that.”

John bites his lip. “Well, regardless of how horrible that day was, in a way I’m glad you and Freddie had that big fight. It really opened his eyes, you know. And mine too. We had a long talk about everything the other night. He was mortified when I told him that I’ve never received punishments like this before. Treating subs like this is all he’s ever known, Rog. He thought that’s what I would see as a fit punishment.” John pauses, looking a little sad. “Anyway, he said we haven’t got off to the best start but he wants to learn. He wants to be better for me.”

Roger smiles. “That’s really good to hear, Deaky.”

“It’ll take time. But I think we can work it out.”

They cuddle in silence for a few minutes, before John lets out a loud sneeze.

“Oh bugger,” John groans. “I’m out of tissues. Would you mind fetching me some more?”

“Of course.” Roger kisses John’s hair. “Are we ok then? Or do I need to grovel some more?”

“Of course we’re ok, you daft sod.” John gives him a playful shove. “Just please get me some tissues before I get my snot all over you.”

“Ok, ok,” Roger laughs, climbing out of bed. “I’m going.”

He gives John one last kiss, and he feels as though he’s finally making progress when he gets a big smile in return.

*****

The next person he approaches is Freddie.

He waits until they’re alone eating breakfast the following day; Brian had been visiting his parents overnight and John is still in bed, fighting the flu.

Roger clears his throat as he butters a slice of toast. “How is John this morning?”

Freddie looks up at him from the lyric sheet he’s reading. “Still quite poorly, I’m afraid. He’ll probably spend most of today in bed, I expect.”

“If he needs anything or there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know,” Roger says softly.

Freddie gives him a small smile. “Thanks. I appreciate you looking out for him. I know you two are close.”

Roger smiles back. “Look...I’m really sorry about what happened the other day, Fred. In the studio. With John.”

Freddie blinks at him before lowering his spoon of cornflakes back into his bowl. “You already apologised the other day.”

“Yeah, because Bri made me. I want you to know I really am sorry though. I should have spoken to you in private rather than yelling all that crap in front of everyone. I know I undermined you and I want you to know I’m sorry.”

Freddie sighs. “Rog. You shouldn’t be apologising to me at all.”

Roger’s face falls. “Oh. I did apologise to John properly yesterday and I’m gonna talk to Brian later-“

“Rog,” Freddie interrupts, his voice soft. “You’re misunderstanding me. _You_ shouldn’t be apologising. You were right.”

Roger frowns. “But...I yelled at you. I told you that you were a bad Dom. In front of people.”

“I know.” Freddie nods sadly. “And that really opened my eyes you know. Christ, Rog, I had no idea what an arse I was. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I’ve never had a proper sub before. I’ve been with a lot of subs, but those weren’t relationships. I’ve been treating John the way I’ve been treating all my fucking one night stands, who like a good rough punishment.” Freddie runs a hand over his face. “John trusted me to look after him. And I’ve failed.”

Roger’s never seen Freddie look so miserable. The older man has always had a way of filling a room with his presence, but right now he looks tiny, like he wants nothing more than to disappear.

Roger puts his hand over Freddie’s. “Look, the stuff that’s been happening with John’s punishments...isn’t great. He wants to be punished when he’s been bad, but it needs to be in the right way and for the right reasons. And poor John hasn’t had all that many Doms. He doesn’t know when he can say no to you and how to set his boundaries. You have to help him through that.”

“I will,” Freddie says firmly, determination on his face. “I’ll work with him on that. I just...I want him to feel safe. With me. And now I’ve probably destroyed any chance of that happening again.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Roger says softly. “John has always adored you. You have a close bond. You’ll get through this.”

Freddie gives him a soft smile. “I know Brian punished you for being mouthy to me and embarrassing John, but I hope he’s been rewarding you properly too. Your mouthiness has paid off a lot for us you know.”

Roger shrugs. “It’s fine. He won’t fuck me. But whatever.”

Freddie raises his eyebrows.

Roger isn’t sure if this is the best time to blurt this out, but it’s being weighing on his mind a lot the last few days.

“Have you asked him why not?” Freddie asks with a raised eyebrow.

Roger swallows. “Well...not exactly.”

“Well maybe you should do that. After all, you’re the one telling me and John to communicate more.”

Roger bites his lip. “Yeah.” He’s been too nervous to bring it up because he’s afraid of what the answer might be. He’s tormented himself with worst-case scenarios and imagining what Brian might say.

_You’ve not earned it. You’re not good enough. You’re a terrible sub._

“I’ll make you a deal,” Freddie says. “I’ll talk to John more about our relationship, and you talk to Brian about yours.”

Roger smiles at him. “Deal.”

They go back to eating breakfast in companionable silence, and Roger wonders if he just might be able to put their group back together after all.

******

That night in bed, Roger decides he can’t put it off any longer.

They’ve just settled down to go to sleep after their usual routine of sharing a chaste kiss. All Roger can think about is whether he’s done something irreversibly wrong to make Brian not want him.

“Hey,” Roger says softly into the darkness. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“Always,” Brian responds sleepily, rubbing Roger’s hip gently.

Roger’s thought about how he might bring this up a lot recently, but he supposes it’s easiest for both of them if he doesn’t beat around the bush.

“I’m just gonna say it.” Roger can feel his face flush, and he’s very glad that it’s dark. “Is there any reason, um that you won’t...fuck me?”

He can feel Brian stiffen beside him. “What?”

“You’ll dish out pretty much any reward I ask for, but this seems to be the one thing you won’t do.” Roger says quickly, suddenly feeling as though his voice is very small. “Have I done something wrong?”

“ _No_ ,” Brian says immediately. “Definitely not.”

“Is it because of what happened the other day in the studio? Because I’ve apologised to Fred and Deaky again and they seem to have accepted my apology-“

“It’s not that, Rog-“

“Is it because you don’t think I’ve been a good enough sub?”

“Christ, no.”

Roger can feel himself tearing up. “Then what is it?”

Brian wraps one arm around the younger man, pulling him close to his chest. To Roger it’s still the safest place in the world.

“I’m sorry I haven’t really explained this to you,” Brian says softly, stroking Roger’s hair. “I’ve been avoiding the issue which is a bit cowardly of me.”

Roger shuffles a little closer.

“Listen,” Brian sighs. “You’re going to think this is really stupid.”

“Try me.”

“You’ve had to give up _everything_ for me, Rog. Your autonomy and your dignity...and I know you think it was your choice to do that, but ever since birth you’ve never really had choices in the same way that I have. I just thought...god, this is fucking stupid, but I just thought maybe this was one thing you wouldn’t have to give up for me.”

Roger frowns. “I don’t understand.”

“It makes no sense, I know,” Brian laughs nervously. “I’ve seen you naked and touched you and done just about everything else under the sun with you...but a small part of me thought not fucking you might show you that I don’t want to take _everything_ from you. And yes I know it makes no sense, because I’ve already taken so much-“

“Brian,” Roger interrupts. “It makes no sense because I _wanted_ you to fuck me. I asked you to.”

“I know. And I honestly thought you asked me to do that because you thought that’s what _I_ wanted. I thought you were just trying to please me.”

“Jesus Christ.” Roger pulls Brian in by the front of his t-shirt and smashes their mouths together, relief flooding through him. “Do you actually want to fuck me?”

Brian squeezes his waist. “Of course I do. I’ve wanted to for ages. I just didn’t want to make you think-“

Roger kisses the older man again. “So you’ve _wanted_ to fuck me, and I’ve _wanted_ you to fuck me, but we _haven’t_ been fucking?”

Brian chuckles. “It’s silly, I know.”

“Yes, Master,” Roger growls. “It is rather silly.” Feeling bold in the knowledge that Brian has wanted him this whole time, he reaches down to slip his hand beneath Brian’s waistband and grip his Dom’s cock.

Brian laughs, sounding less nervous now, and nuzzles Roger’s neck. “Careful now, Rog. You’re making it very difficult for me to restrain myself.”

Roger feels himself harden.

“Don’t want you to restrain yourself.Want you to fuck me.”

Brian kisses Roger’s neck, dipping his hand into Roger’s shorts to grip his cock. “You’d better get naked then.”

Roger finds himself shivering with anticipation as he hastily rids himself of his clothes. Brian undresses himself as well, and Roger smiles when he sees that Brian seems just as eager. He’s spent all this time thinking that Brian didn’t want him, and now that he realises that he’s been worrying needlessly he can feel his confidence quickly returning.

“Come here,” Brian says, and Roger allows himself to be pulled into his Dom’s arms on the bed.

They’ve done a lot of things together, but there’s something so painfully intimate about simply kissing and holding each other naked. Having Brian pressed up against him his electric; their erections brushing against each other and being plastered to each other’s sweaty skin is almost enough to make Roger come instantly.

“Please,” Roger sighs. “ _Master_...”

Brian fumbles in the bedside drawer for a condom and some lube as they continue to kiss. Roger can’t stop grinning. This is everything he’d secretly been hoping for since the day Brian put that collar on him.

It all happens in a blur- he can feel the familiar burn of Brian’s fingers inside him, slick with lube, fingering him open gently. Brian’s fingered him before, but never like _this_ , never with the anticipation of something else following.

“What do you want?” Brian asks breathlessly as he kisses the younger man’s neck. “Tell me what you want.”

“I want you to make love to me,” Roger finds himself saying, trembling because before tonight he’s only wanted fucking, but now it seems he wants something else entirely.

Brian kisses his shoulders, down his chest to lick at his nipples. Roger arches his back as the older man takes one nipple into his mouth and sucks. Brian’s tongue is hot and wet on his skin, setting his nerve endings on fire. He can feel the older man’s erection pressed against his thigh, and he’s glad he’s not the only one who’s incredibly excited by this.

“Will you put it on me?” Brian asks, pressing the condom into Roger’s hand.

Roger swallows and nods, tearing open the foil packet with trembling fingers. There’s something incredibly intimate about rolling a condom onto another man’s dick, and the way Brian watches him hungrily as he does it makes him even more impatient.

Roger takes hold of the lube and begins to slather some on Brian’s erection, stroking him firmly, and the older man moans in response as he reaches out to trace the collar on Roger’s neck with his fingers.

“You’re mine,” Brian says quietly, a hint of awe in his voice, as if he doesn’t quite believe it.

“I’m yours,” Roger agrees, laying back on the bed and spreading his legs as he pulls Brian on top of him.

“You’re _mine_ ,” Brian repeats, this time more possessively, as he nudges at Roger’s entrance and pushes in slowly.

“All yours.” Roger finds it hard to keep his voice steady as the older man fills him completely. He’s imagined countless times what it might be like to have Brian inside him, but none of his fantasies can compare to this. The feel of Brian’s cock in his arse and the weight of his Dom on top of him is indescribable.

“Alright?” Brian asks breathlessly, stroking Roger’s hair.

Roger bites his lip and nods, tears blurring his vision.

“I need a verbal response before we can continue, Rog.”

“Yes,” Roger chokes out, trying not to show how overwhelmed he is. “I’m alright.”

“Are you sure?” Brian leans down and kisses the younger man softly on the lips. “You’re very tight. Promise me you’ll tell me if it hurts.”

“I promise.” Roger brackets Brian’s hips with his thighs and squeezes. “Please, Bri, _move_.”

Brian moves his hips slowly, testing the waters. He keeps one hand braced on the pillow next to Roger’s head and places the other on his hip.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted this,” Brian gasps, thrusting gently as he nuzzles Roger’s face. “Wanted you ever since the day I met you. So beautiful and funny and cheeky...always wanted you to be my sub.”

Roger strokes Brian’s arms and back, glowing in response to the praise. He lets out a loud moan when Brian manages to hit his sweet spot.

“I’m so glad I’m yours,” Roger sighs. “You’re the best Dom I’ve ever had.”

Brian shakes his head. “I can’t be.”

“You _are_ ,” Roger says firmly, wrapping his legs around Brian’s waist as the pace of the older man’s thrusts increase. “You’re the best. You take care of me so well.”

Brian gives Roger the biggest smile he’s seen on the older man in some time.

“Can I ride you?” Roger asks tentatively. This position is lovely and intimate, but there’s something else he would like to try.

“Absolutely,” Brian growls, pressing a rough kiss to Roger’s lips. He pulls out gently, before settling himself so that he’s seated up against the headboard. “Have a seat.”

Roger shoots him a shy smile before straddling his hips, taking hold of Brian’s erection and positioning it against his hole. He impales himself slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on Brian who looks completely blissed out as his cock becomes engulfed by Roger’s heat.

When Roger is finally completely seated, he feels Brian’s hands settle on his waist, stroking the smooth skin of his hips.

“You’re the best sub I’ve ever had too, by the way,” Brian says gently.

The older man’s genuine tone catches Roger off guard as he looks into Brian’s eyes, his heart bubbling. That one piece of praise alone is almost enough to make him come.

Roger braces his hands on Brian’s shoulders, and slowly begins to work himself up and down on the other man’s cock.It’s so incredibly intimate, being able to look at his Dom like this, and Brian gives him such an encouraging smile that Roger knows he won’t last long.

Brian’s hands slip from Roger’s hips to grip his arse as the younger man bounces in his lap.

“You’re so incredible,” Brian gasps. “I don’t say it enough. You’re so fucking kind and brave and funny and I’m so happy you’re mine.”

It’s too much when Brian takes hold of Roger’s cock and strokes in time with the younger man’s movements. That combined with the praise is enough to leave Roger shuddering as he comes over Brian’s stomach, and a few moments later Brian also stiffens and moans as he comes.

They don’t move for a few moments as they catch their breath and recover from their orgasms. They share an awkward laugh when their eyes meet, but Brian’s smile is so blinding that Roger feels as though he could stay like this forever.

“That was lovely,” Brian says softly. “You were perfect.”

Roger smiles. _You were perfect._

“You have to keep me now,” Roger says playfully. “You’re stuck with me as your sub forever.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad to me.” Brian leans forward and kisses him on the lips, before dipping his head to kiss Roger’s collar. “My troublesome, brave, mouthy, beautiful little sub.”

Brian gently manoeuvres them so that he can lay Roger down, slipping out of him in the process.

He gives Roger a quick kiss, before disappearing to grab a washcloth. When he returns, he gently runs the cloth over the younger man’s thighs and cock.

“There we go, nice and clean, Rog. Can I get you anything else? Is there anything you’d like?”

“Just a cuddle,” Roger mumbles sleepily. 

“Coming right up,” Brian chuckles. He’s shuffles around a little before slipping under the covers and pulling Roger close.

Roger sighs happily and buries his face in Brian’s chest. For the first time in days, he finally feels content.

*****

Roger is on cloud nine the next day.

Not only is he feeling blissed out from the events of last night, but it’s also their final day of recording in the studio for the album.

John is luckily looking a lot better when Brian and Roger enter the kitchen hand in hand for breakfast. He’s wearing a thick jumper and there’s some more colour in his cheeks.

“Morning,” Roger says happily, sliding into the empty seat next to John. “You’re looking better today.”

“I’m feeling a lot better,” John says, smiling. “I slept for like twelve hours.”

“We’ve only got a little bit to do in the studio today,” Freddie says gently from John’s other side, patting his thigh. “But you tell us if it gets too much.”

“I’ll be fine,” John dismisses. “I’ve just got a bit of a cough now. I can play bass fine.”

“I’ll make us all some tea,” Brian says gently. He gives John a kiss on the top of his head and claps Freddie on the shoulder.

“Guess what I did last night,” Roger whispers, nudging John playfully and grinning.

“Don’t you mean _who_ you did last night?” John smirks.

“We heard everything,” Freddie adds. “The walls here are thin, my dears.”

Roger flushes but Brian laughs from over by the kettle.

“Well now that’s out in the open, let’s talk about what we need to get done today,” Brian says. 

Their final recording session goes smoothly, without any arguments. Brian meets Roger’s eyes a few times, and they share a smile between them. Freddie is as energetic as usual, and even John looks happier than he has done in a while.

It feels like they’ve been through so much to get to this point, and when the final note is recorded they all bundle in to a group hug.

“You’re all amazing,” Freddie tells them with tears in his eyes. “A true Queen, each and every one of you!”

Roger doesn’t think he’s ever felt happier than he does now, here in the arms of the three people he loves most in the world.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the completion of the album, it’s time for some celebration...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thank you for your patience as it’s been a couple of weeks since this has been updated. Hopefully this will have been worth the wait- we’re nearly at the end! 
> 
> As usual please read all tags/warnings/introductory notes and as always very happy to answer any questions.
> 
> Thanks for all the love and support so far!

They decide to celebrate the completion of Queen’s first album by hosting a small party among a few close friends.

Its a great atmosphere in their small flat, and Roger is slightly buzzed on alcohol and the feeling of having actually accomplished something meaningful for the first time in his life. The horrible events of the last few months seem to pale in his memory in comparison to how he feels now; high on their achievement and the first glimmer of hope they’ve had in a long time.

Roger is sat at Brian’s feet nursing a glass of champagne, lost in his own thoughts as his Dom chats happily with one of his old uni friends. Freddie is sat next to Brian on the sofa, but from the way his head is thrown back and his mouth his hanging open he looks as though he’s passed out.

“Hey you.” John suddenly appears beside Roger, taking a seat on the floor beside him at Freddie’s feet. He has a glass of something in one hand and a bright smile on his face.

“Hey you,” Roger laughs, leaning in to kiss John’s cheek. “You look nice tonight.”

“Thanks,” John says shyly, cheeks slightly flushed. He leans in to whisper in Roger’s ear. “Freddie dressed me.”

“He has good taste.” Roger clinks his glass against John’s. “To the album, eh?”

“To Queen,” John hiccups, before taking a swig from his glass. 

Roger feels long fingers stroking his hair. He looks up to see Brian smiling at them both, his uni friend having disappeared.

“Are you boys having fun?” Brian’s voice is thick with alcohol, almost soft and sleepy.

“Yes, Master,” Roger replies, sticking out his tongue.

“Watch the cheek, Rog,” Brian says jokingly. “How about you, Deaky? Are you having a good time?”

“Yes, sir.” John gives Brian a small smile.

“I want tonight to be about you two, you know.” Brian caresses Roger’s hair fondly, and even gives John a friendly caress on his chin. “We wouldn’t have been able to make this album without the two of you. This whole fucking industry would have everyone think that you’re just a couple of airheads who don’t do anything other than look pretty and play the songs that Freddie and I write. But that’s not fucking true. This band would be nothing without you.”

“Tonight should be about _all_ of us,” John says gently. “We’re Queen and we did this together.”

“Yes we did,” Freddie slurs, having seemingly awoken from his slumber. “But you, my darlings, have had to deal with so much more bullshit than Brian and I. In fact, I want to say something.”

Freddie pulls himself to his feet, swaying a little, grabbing a stray fork and tapping it against his glass. “Can I have everyone’s attention please?”

Theracket in the room slowly dies to a quiet murmur, before extinguishing completely when Freddie gives a loud whistle.

Freddie clears his throat. “Thank you all so much for coming here tonight. We’re all very excited to celebrate the completion of our very first album!”

There’s a loud cheer and a round of applause.

“And,” Freddie continues, starting to sound a little more sober, “I just wanted to publicly thank my amazing bandmates for their hard work and contributions. As you know, our wonderful submissives cannot be credited on the album itself, but I want you all to know how much our John and our Roger are integral to our success. They helped us write these songs, and I want them to get the credit they deserve.”

Freddie holds out his hand to John, helping the younger man to his feet.

“I would like to propose a toast,” Freddie says proudly, looping his arm around John’s waist and pulling him in close. “To my John. For being the best bass player, a fantastic songwriter, and the most wonderful sub I could ever ask for. Thank you, my love, for supporting and forgiving me on my very worst days. You make me want to be a better Dom and a better man. To John!”

“To John!” the crowd echoes, applauding when Freddie pulls John in for a kiss and dips him low.

John giggles when he’s released for air, burying his face in Freddie’s shoulder but looking overwhelmingly pleased nonetheless.

“I think it would only be right,” Brian says, standing to join Freddie, “if I propose a toast too.” He gestures for Roger to stand. “Not only is my Roger the most talented drummer I’ve ever met, and also an incredible songwriter, but he’s helped this band survive some of its worst days. I am incredibly proud to be his Dom. To Roger!”

“To Roger!”

Roger feels like his heart might explode when Brian pulls him in for a soft kiss, gently thumbing Roger’s collar.

He knows they’re only in front of a few friends, but Brian and Freddie thanking them both like this publicly makes Roger want to melt. Before Queen and Smile, Roger had been so used to having his efforts ignored or dismissed simply because of his status. He knows that there’s a good chance he will never be able to be credited on an album cover, but the fact that Brian is trying to acknowledge and appreciate his work means more to him than the older man will ever know.

Roger glances over at John to the sound of applause and cheers, and when their eyes meet they share an overjoyed look. He can tell that John must be having similar thoughts from the way he looks so deliriously happy.

They’ve been through so much together and this certainly isn’t the end of their challenges, but Roger feels confident to face any obstacles with these three men by his side.

*****

Roger hadn’t realised that he’d need to draw on that feeling so soon, as a few days later the band is summoned to the Foster Records offices.

Over the last few weeks Roger had desperately tried to ignore the fact that the four of them would eventually have to return together. Brian and Freddie had made a few visits alone to discuss trivial matters, which Roger and John had been grateful for, but this will be the final meeting between the band and the record label before the album’s release. It would look suspicious if only the submissives didn’t turn up, and they’ve come too far to risk everything for the sake of one meeting.

“You don’t have to do this you know,” Brian whispers in Roger’s ear, stroking the younger man’s bare back. “Fred and I can go in there alone.”

Roger appreciates the sentiment, but he knows they already aroused too much suspicion the last time they were here. The last thing they need is Ray Foster accusing them of fraud right before the album release. Besides, despite the fact that he has to be naked in front of a man he despises, Roger actually wants to be in that meeting. He wants a seat at the table (or on the floor); he wants to be seen as a part of the band; he wants to be involved in the decision making, even if it means humiliating himself to do so.

“We should all be in there together.” Roger gives Brian a soft smile. “And maybe one day we won’t have to worry about this sort of thing. When our albums sell in their millions we’ll have more control and power and can refuse to put up with bullshit like this.”

“First of all,” Brian laughs, tucking a strand of blond hair behind Roger’s ear, “let’s focus on getting this album out before we talk about multiple albums. And selling in their _millions_?” Brian chuckles. “I do love your optimism though, Rog.”

Roger casts a glance to his left where Freddie seems to be giving John a similar pep talk. John’s eyes look glazed over, as if he’s trying to drown out his surroundings and the fact that he’s once again naked in public.

Roger gives the younger man a smile, and feels like he’s really achieved something when John gives him a tentative smile back.

The walk to Ray Foster’s office doesn’t seem quite as endless as it had done the first time. Roger isn’t sure if that’s because he was prepared for it this time, or if it’s because he’s braver, or if it’s because he knows they can walk in there with their heads held high and an album under their belts. Even John has a look of determination on his face despite clearly being incredibly uncomfortable, and Roger tries to give him the most reassuring and encouraging look he can muster.

But once again it’s the privacy of Ray Foster’s office that Roger finds the most suffocating. He takes his seat obediently at Brian’s feet, glaring defiantly at Ray as the executive looks at them disparagingly. Roger can sense John sitting stiffly beside him, and he desperately wishes he could stand between Ray and John.

Ray grins at them. “You’re all looking well.” His eyes remain fixed on the two subs. “You must be very pleased with yourselves. We will certainly have to celebrate.” His gaze shifts to John, predatory.

“We’re not here to celebrate,” Freddie cuts in. “We’re here to discuss next steps.” He strokes John’s hair possessively, who gratefully leans into the touch.

Ray clears his throat. “Of course. We can celebrate once the album hits the charts.” He winks at Roger, who can’t hold back his look of disgust.

They talk lead singles and release dates and distribution- the things that Roger finds boring but the others take a great deal of interest in. Even John contributes to the discussion, and Roger is proud not only of the younger man’s bravery but also how he doesn’t slip up once. He dutifully glances at Freddie for permission to speak, and remembers to address him as _Master_ and Ray as _Sir_ (Roger can’t help but shudder at the pleased look on Ray’s face in response to that).

It’s a painful meeting nonetheless, and Roger breathes a sigh of relief when it’s finally time to sign the final paperwork.

The thing that upsets him most that afternoon is surprisingly something he thought would be so trivial. It isn’t the fact that once again he’s naked in public, or having to watch Ray leer at John. It’s looking at the paperwork and seeing that the only names listed under the songwriting credits are _Brian May_ and _Freddie Mercury_. 

It clearly upsets Brian too, because he clicks his tongue and points it out to Ray.

“I still don’t understand why we can’t just add Roger and John’s names here,” Brian frowns. “They wrote a lot of these songs. They deserve the credit too.”

 Ray looks at Brian as though he’s just suggested the sky is green.

 “Submissives aren’t credited for songwriting. It’s standard in the industry to only credit Dominants-“

“I don’t care if it’s standard,” Freddie says quietly. “Queen isn’t standard. They wrote the songs. They deserve the credit.”

Ray gives Freddie a displeased glare. “You signed the contract. You agreed to the terms. Besides, do you honestly believe that your submissives made the same level of contribution to this album as you? In all my years in the business I’ve never heard a decent song written by a sub-“

“That’s because you don’t credit them,” Brian interjects.

Roger touches Brian’s calf gently, looking imploringly at the older man. He appreciates Freddie and Brian defending them, but right now they have to pick their battles. They’ve been through too much to risk losing this opportunity. They can fight social injustice when they have the power to do so. 

Brian glances at Roger and sighs defeatedly, giving the younger man an affectionate caress. He shares a look with Freddie, and there seems to be an unspoken agreement that passes between them. 

“Fine,” Freddie says through gritted teeth. “But we’ll be reviewing the contract after this album. We’ve only signed to do one. And if it does well there may be other record labels more willing to negotiate with Queen.”

“ _If_ ,” Ray says. “ _If_ it does well. If it _doesn’t_ do well, then maybe it is worth reviewing our partnership. Maybe Queen is more trouble than it’s worth.” He glances at John and Roger. “Especially if I’m not getting the usual perks I would expect.” 

“Yeah, alright,” Brian says frostily, standing abruptly and touching Roger’s head to indicate that he should stand too. “We’ll review our working relationship once the album is out. And once we’ve got other record labels queuing up to beg to sign us, you can reflect on how much you’ve lost.”

“ _I_ won’t be the loser here,” Ray chuckles. “If you decide to walk, I can make sure that no one in the music industry ever wants to work with you again. I’ll make you untouchable. You and your sluts.”

Freddie attempts to throw himself at Ray, pure rage in his eyes, but Brian grabs hold of him and manages to hold him back.

“It’s not worth it, Fred,” Brian hisses. “We’re still under contract.”

Ray grins. “For now.”

Roger only briefly registers Brian’s furious expression before he and John are being ushered from the room by their Doms.

“Mark these words,” Ray yells at their retreating backs. “No one will play Queen!”

*****

They all desperately try to forget Ray Foster’s mocking words in the days leading up to the album release.

The four of them are proud of this album, and they want it do well. They’ve worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get to where they are now. Freddie remains optimistic, but Roger can tell that Brian and John are having thoughts similar to his own: maybe Ray is right. Maybe no one will play Queen. Maybe they’ll have to go crawling back to Ray if they want a second shot after the album doesn’t do as well as it should. 

Roger tries to banish these thoughts from his head. He doesn’t want to worry about something that he has no control over and might not happen, so instead he tries to enjoy having some time off from music. He’s able to start on a book he’s been wanting to read for ages, and Freddie begins a Scrabble tournament between the four of them that ends up becoming very competitive.

Roger particularly enjoys playing Scrabble with John; he’s a more mature opponent than Freddie or Brian and also happens to be rather good.

“You’re falling behind, Rog,” Brian comments teasingly when he finds the two subs playing together one afternoon.

“Shut up,” Roger laughs. “I’m fucking concentrating.”

“Ok, ok.” Brian grins and holds his hands up mock placatingly, leaning down to kiss Roger’s temple. “I just came to tell you that Fred and I are going out for a while.”

“Oh?” Roger keeps his eyes on the jumble of letters in front of him. “Where are you off to?”

“It’s a surprise,” Freddie says as he enters the living room, pulling on his coat. “Brian and I are going out to pick up something for the two of you.”

John looks up with interest. “A surprise? What on Earth are you up to?”

“You’ll find out soon enough, love,” Fred chuckles, leaning down to give John a quick kiss. “Brian and I are so proud of you two and how hard you’ve worked for this album. Especially with all the crap you’ve been through. So we thought you both deserved a reward.”

“A _special_ reward,” Brian adds. “And we thought it might be nice if you could enjoy this particular reward together.”

Roger glances at John, intrigued. They’ve only ever been rewarded separately by their respective Doms, so this is new territory for them. He’s also a little confused, because his own rewards have nearly always been sexual, and he’s wondering if Freddie and Brian have something of a similar nature planned for the both of them.

“Of course, if it’s something you don’t like, you don’t have to do anything.” Brian bites his lip. “But Freddie and I talked about it and we thought this might be something you’d both like.”

John gives the Doms a shy smile. “Well, a joint reward does sound nice. And we can make a decision when we find out what it is?”

“Absolutely,” Freddie says, caressing John’s cheek. “The choice is entirely yours, but we want to keep it as a surprise for now.”

“Ok.” John smiles softly. “I trust you.”

Freddie can’t keep the overjoyed grin from his face.

“We’ll be a few hours,” Brian says, wrapping his scarf around his neck. “It won’t take long to get what we need but we thought we’d go to the pub for a while to give you two some alone time together.”

Roger glances at John again, who gives him a pleased smile.

“It’s been a while since you two have had some quality sub time together. I’m sure you’d appreciate a bit of space from us Doms breathing down your necks.” Freddie chuckles.

The truth is Roger doesn’t find his relationship with Brian suffocating in the least (and he’s sure John feels the same way about Freddie), but sometimes it is nice to spend time alone with another sub. Roger does love spending time with John, and it’s been ages since they’ve had a chance to hang out without Brian and Freddie. 

“Some sub time sounds lovely,” John admits, and Roger nods in agreement.

“Wonderful.” Freddie kisses John again. “Well you boys enjoy yourselves and we’ll have some proper fun when Brian and I are back.”

Brian winks at Roger before leaning down to kiss him. “Behave yourself. Play nice with Deaky.”

“I always do,” Roger pouts.

The Doms say their goodbyes before departing, and John immediately gives Roger an excited smile.

“Well this is all very mysterious, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Roger laughs. “God knows what they’re up to.” He meets John’s eyes a little nervously. There’s something he wants to ask but doesn’t quite know how to articulate. It turns out he doesn’t have to ask it though, because John beats him to it.

“Will you be ok with it?” John asks quietly. “This reward...if it’s something, uh, sexy. For the two of us. Will you want it?”

“Yeah,” Roger says firmly. “With you? Definitely. I trust you and I love you. I think it will be nice.”

“Me too,” John says, clearly reassured. “I would want to...with you. Whatever it is. I love you too, Rog. You’ve helped me through so much over the last few months. You’re such a good sub role model for me.” 

“Really?” Roger scoffs. “Not sure I agree with you there, Deaky. I’m far too mouthy for a sub.”

“I like that you’re mouthy. You don’t take any bullshit and I love that about you.”

Roger chuckles. “If you say so. So what do you want to do during our free afternoon together? Since you’re thrashing me at Scrabble, I think we’ll have to call it a day with that.”

John chuckles. “Yeah, it’s never really a challenge playing with you.”

Roger sticks his tongue out.

“I was thinking though,” John begins, biting his lip and suddenly looking anxious. “We could...uh. Actually, forget it. It’s a stupid idea.”

“What?” Roger probes encouragingly.

John smiles shyly. “Well, I was thinking we could maybe have a bath together? It’s been ages since I’ve had any real time alone with you and it might be a nice relaxing way to just catch up on things. But if you think it’s silly-“

“No,” Roger says quickly. “I think it sounds lovely.”

And he’s not just saying that to make John feel better; Roger feels as though a bath is really what he needs right now when he’s trying to keep his mind off the album release. And spending some time alone with John is always good for him.

Roger leaves John to sort out the bath while he tidies up the Scrabble board and then retreats to his bedroom to undress. Roger knows that John has always loved taking baths and has become an expert at drawing baths at just the right temperature, and when Roger enters the bathroom he finds John pouring a bottle of powder into the hot water.

“What’s that?” Roger asks, observing the coloured mixture dissolving in the water.

“Oh, just some bath salts,” John says sheepishly, turning red. “Freddie bought them for when he and I take baths together. They’re really nice, I promise.”

“Looks great,” Roger says with a smile. “Are you going to undress or are you getting in wearing your clothes?”

John gives Roger’s bare arm a playful punch as he disappears to undress himself, and Roger gingerly puts one foot in the bath. The water feels _heavenly_ ; it’s the perfect temperature and whatever John has put in it smells and feels wonderful.

Roger lowers himself into the water completely with a sigh, and wonders why on Earth he doesn’t take more baths. He thinks that perhaps it’s something he can suggest to Brian.

When John finally reappears he looks pleased to see Roger looking completely blissed out, and he slips into the opposite end of the bath, fitting his legs between Roger’s so that they’re facing each other. For a moment Roger briefly considers inviting John to sit between his legs with his back pressed against Roger’s chest, but he decides that’s probably a little too intimate for the time being. He then also realises that this is the first time they’ve been voluntarily naked together. It’s reassuring to see how relaxed John is this time though and Roger feels touched that the younger man seems so at ease around him even at his most vulnerable. Roger also notes that it’s the first time either of them have seen the other without their collars since they were claimed.

“This is nice, Deaky,” Roger sighs, leaning back. “Do you and Freddie do this often?”

John smiles and throws his hair over one shoulder. “We’ve done it a couple of times. Freddie thought it might be a nice way for us to spend time together.”

“How are things with Freddie now?” Roger asks gently.

“Things are really good.” John blushes as his smile widens. “Freddie’s been really wonderful. It’s taken us a while but we’re so much better at communicating now.”

“That’s good to hear. So I take it your punishments are ok now?”

“I haven’t really had a lot of punishments to be honest. But we had a long conversation about stuff I’m comfortable with and uncomfortable with, and I feel a lot more confident now in voicing my opinions to him. I think he still thinks he’s not quite worthy of me or something, but he’s such a wonderful Dom. Our relationship is stronger than ever...and it’s all thanks to you.”

John touches Roger’s leg, stroking his skin beneath the water. 

“I highly doubt that,” Roger laughs. “My big mouth may have got you talking, but you two worked through this together. I just want you to be happy, Deaks.”

“I am happy.” John smiles and starts tracing patterns on Roger’s ankle. “When Freddie first claimed me I wasn’t sure how things would go but I trusted him. And now I wake up every morning looking forward to spending the day with him and looking forward to sleeping next to him at night...” 

“And looking forward to him fucking you?” Roger shoots him a wink.

John laughs. “Yeah, I do enjoy that as well. The sex has actually been really good recently. Ever since we had that long chat I’ve felt more comfortable telling him what I like in bed and it’s been...” John trails off, suddenly embarrassed. “God, Rog, we’ve done some things. Last night he made me come _three times_.”

They both giggle, and John covers his face with his hands.

“I love how saucy you’ve become. I always used to think of you as innocent little Deaky, but now I swear you come out with more filth than I do!”

They both laugh, and when they calm down a bit, John resumes stroking Roger’s leg. 

“What about you, Rog? How are things with Brian now that you’re having sex?”

Roger can’t help but beam. “Never better. Bloody hell, I wish we’d been fucking from the beginning. He’s definitely the best Dom I’ve ever had. He gives me exactly what I need, both in and out of the bedroom. I feel so safe with Brian and he just...makes everything better.”

 “Do you love him?” John asks softly.

Roger has always loved Brian, but he knows what John means is _are you in love with him._

“Yes,” Roger replies immediately. “I love him.”

“Have you told him?”

“Not yet,” Roger sighs. He takes hold of John’s right foot, lifting it slightly and massaging gently. “I think Bri might feel the same way, but I can’t be sure-“

“He loves you too,” John says softly. “I can tell by the way he looks at you. Whenever we’re all in a room together, he can barely take his eyes off you. And the way he talks about you, Rog. It’s like you’re his moon and stars.”

Roger rubs John’s foot thoughtfully. They sit there in silence for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company. It’s the most peaceful Roger has felt in a long time.

“What do you think our reward is?” Roger asks eventually, changing the subject.

 “God knows,” John says with a shrug. He bites his lip and suddenly looks bashful. “I’m excited though. If it is something sexy...I think it could be fun.”

“Me too.” Roger gives John a soft smile. “Have you ever done anything, uh, _sexy_...with another sub?”

“Never,” John admits. “Only Doms. But if Freddie and Brian want us to do stuff together...I’d like to. I trust you. Have you...ever...with another sub?”

“Only a bit of kissing,” Roger chuckles. “When I was drunk once. But if this reward involves doing stuff with you, I’d definitely be up for it.”

Roger shuffles forward a little so that he can lean forward and press a brief kiss to John’s lips. It’s another one of their chaste friendly kisses, but it feels a lot more intimate when they’re both naked and wet. John looks at him with such pure adoration that Roger can’t help but hope that their reward _is_ something sexual.

They spend some time talking about a variety of topics- their childhoods, their first crush, losing their virginity, how they got into music. Roger finds there’s a lot of things about John that he didn’t already know, and he loses track of time as he finds himself talking about things he hasn’t even thought about in a while, like his relationship with his father.

“Goodness me, what have we here?”

Roger jerks a little at the sound of Freddie’s voice, suddenly feeling rather self-conscious when he notices that the two Doms have appeared at the bathroom door. Brian is looking over Freddie’s shoulder, grinning at the sight of the two subs in the bath together.

“Looks like you two have had a lovely afternoon together,” Brian comments, winking at Roger. 

“It’s been really nice,” John says happily. “Rog and I have just been talking.”

Freddie wanders in and gives John a quick kiss. “That’s great. I’m glad you had a nice time.”

Brian comes over to kiss Roger’s hair. “It’s good to see you’ve been relaxing. You’re gonna need your energy for what we have planned for you.”

Roger feels the anticipation hit him again.

Freddie laughs. “I think you boys will be needing another bath after we’ve finished rewarding you. Why don’t the two of you dry off and join us in the living room?”

“And don’t bother getting dressed,” Brian adds as the two Doms disappear with smug grins on their faces.

Roger and John glance at each other and start giggling.

“God, what are they up to,” Roger wonders out loud as he heaves himself out of the tub, holding out a hand to help John up.

“It’s very intriguing,” John laughs as they start towelling themselves off. They don’t get dressed, but they do put their collars back on.

By the time they join the Doms in the living room, they find that the coffee table has been moved aside, and in its place a large towel has been laid out on the floor. Brian and Freddie are sat on the sofa in front of the towel, looking excited but also a little apprehensive.

“Have a seat, boys,” Freddie says with a smile, gesturing to the towel. “Make yourselves comfortable.”

Roger and John glance at each other curiously before taking a seat beside each other on the floor.

“Now as you know, Fred and I have been so pleased with the two of you ever since you became our subs,” Brian begins gently, fiddling with a plastic bag on his lap. “We’re so grateful for everything you’ve done for the band, and this album would never have happened without your hard work and talent. We wanted to show you our appreciation with a little reward.”

Brian pulls an object out of the bag and lays it on the floor in front of the two subs.

Roger feels all the blood rush to his groin.

“What is that?” John asks curiously as examines the object, his face flushing red. “It looks like a... _dildo_? But it’s a weird shape.”

“It’s a double ended dildo,” Roger corrects, smiling inwardly at John’s innocence. “For two people to use at the same time.”

“Oh.” John swallows and his face goes completely crimson as the implication of what Roger’s just said hits him.

“If this doesn’t appeal to you,” Freddie says quickly, “then just say so. It’s no problem at all. We can do something else if you’re not comfortable with it.”

 “No,” John says quickly. “I mean...I’d like to try it.” He glances shyly at Roger. “If Rog is up for it?” 

“Absolutely.” Roger smiles, noticing that John has started to harden. The idea is becoming more enticing by the minute. “So, you’re thinking that John and I use this thing together and you guys watch?”

Even just saying it out loud is making him excited.

Brian nods. “We thought it might be nice for you two to be able to have some fun together.” 

“And we thought it would be hot to watch,” Freddie adds. “If that sounds ok?”

Roger looks at John again, searching for any sign of discomfort. Although the younger man looks a little nervous, he also looks incredibly eager. John gives Roger a smile which tells him all he needs to know. 

“That sounds great,” Roger confirms.

 “Stop anytime you want to,” Brian says, planting a bottle of lube next to the dildo. “Do whatever feels good. This is your night.”

Roger takes a deep breath and smiles up at Brian and Freddie. He tries to convey how much he appreciates this reward with just one expression before turning back to the other sub.

“Come here then, lovely,” Roger says gently, gesturing at John. 

John almost launches himself at Roger, knocking the older sub backwards as he lands in Roger’s arms. They both giggle, and Roger lets out a moan as their hard cocks rub together.

John presses their lips together, gently at first, but the kiss soon heats up as Roger caresses the younger man’s face, trailing his hand down the other sub’s smooth back to grope his rear. It’s the first time they’ve ever shared a kiss that hasn’t been strictly platonic, and it’s completely different to kissing Brian. John doesn’t demonstrate the same kind of dominance that Brian does, but his kiss is still gentle and forceful at the same time.

Roger almost forgets that they’re being watched until he hears noise to his right, and it sounds suspiciously like two men touching themselves. 

“Can I suck your cock?” John asks breathlessly when they part, his lips swollen and his pupils blown wide. “Please?”

Roger has never had anyone _ask permission_ to suck his cock before.

“Be my guest,” Roger grins. “In fact, why don’t we....”

 He manoeuvres them so that John is laying on his back, and Roger straddles his chest backwards before laying himself out so that he’s facing John’s erection, and he can feel John’s breath on his balls. 

“ _Jesus Christ_ ,” Freddie moans somewhere to his left.

Roger takes John’s cock in his hand and wastes no time in getting to work, taking the younger man’s dick in his mouth and sucking gently. He moans when he feels John’s hot mouth close around his own cock. John’s technique is similar to Brian’s; he takes Roger slow and deep, but he still has a style that’s uniquely his own.

“John is good at that, isn’t he?” Freddie says breathlessly.

Roger can’t say anything but tries to make an affirmative noise.

They spend a few minutes pleasuring each other, and Roger can hear some soft moans and heavy breathing coming from the direction of the sofa which just makes the whole thing more arousing.

Roger releases John’s cock from his mouth with a gentle pop. “I’m gonna come if you keep this up, Deaky.”

John releases Roger’s cock with a giggle, and they scramble to sit up so that they can kiss again. Out of the corner of his eye, Roger can see the two Doms stroking themselves as they watch their subs make out.

“You’re so beautiful,” Roger says gently, tucking John’s hair behind his ear. “Freddie is so lucky.”

“You’re beautiful too, Rog.” John kisses down Roger’s neck to his shoulder. “You’re the most incredible sub I’ve ever known.”

Roger reaches for the bottle of lube with trembling fingers. He’s so aroused he think he might burst.

“Let me get you ready,” Roger says gently. “Let me make you feel good.”

John nods enthusiastically, and all that matters to Roger in that moment is John’s pleasure.

“On your back, Deaks. Open your legs up for me.” 

John obeys instantly, and Freddie tosses them a cushion, which Roger places under John’s hips.

“Relax, sweetheart,” Roger says as he coats his fingers generously with lube before gently inserting one in John’s tight heat. “That’s it, let me in. That’s the way.”

John moans and throws his head back, his neck now completely flushed.

Roger fingers his friend slowly, adding more fingers as he opens the younger man up gently. He’s eager to move this along quickly, but at the same time he doesn’t want to hurt John and he wants to make the younger man feel as good as possible.

“ _Roger_ ,” John gasps. “I’m ready.”

Roger removes his fingers gently and grabs the dildo, hastily coating one end in lube. 

“Tell me if this hurts,” Roger says as he positions the dildo at John’s entrance, before pushing it in gently.

John’s eyes roll back in his head as the object slides into him, arching his back. Roger takes hold of the younger man’s hand and squeezes as he works the toy into him gently, and John bites his lip once it’s in as deep as it will go.

“Alright?” Roger asks gently. “Does it hurt?”

John shakes its head. “It’s good. It’s _really_ good.”

Roger grins and coats his fingers with more lube, before reaching behind himself. “Give me two minutes and I’ll join you.”

He makes eye contact with Brian for the first time as he fingers himself, and he thinks he might come just from the way Brian is looking at him. There’s pure hunger in his Dom’s eyes, unlike anything he’s seen before. It’s as if Brian is struggling to restrain himself from just grabbing Roger and fucking him right here on the floor.

Roger grabs another pillow and mirrors John’s position, lubing up the other end of the dildo before slowly pushing it inside himself.

“Intertwine your legs,” Freddie says, his voice thick. “It’ll be easier for you to get a rhythm going.”

Roger wraps his legs around John’s which allows them to get a little closer. He props himself up on his elbows, and John does the same so that they can look at each other. 

“Ready?” Roger asks.

John nods.

They both slowly start thrusting their bodies onto the toy, moving slowly and trying to build a rhythm. It’s a little bit clumsy and awkward at first as they try to get the right movements, and they end up giggling a lot, but eventually they manage to move in a way that works for them, and soon Roger can feel his toes curling.

“Is it good?” Freddie asks breathlessly from the sofa. 

“Yes,” John groans. “ _Fuck_. Oh Christ, it’s so good.”

“You like that, Deaky?” Roger asks, his eyes flicking back and forth between John, whose head is thrown back in pleasure, and Brian, who is stroking himself furiously.

“Love it,” John gasps. “Love it, Rog.”

“Why don’t you try your on your hands and knees?” Brian suggests, his chest heaving. 

John nods enthusiastically, and they untangle their legs as they each pull the toy out of themselves. They share a quick kiss, before Roger guides John onto all fours and works the dildo back into him gently from behind.

Roger then positions himself on all fours behind John and backs up so that the other end of the dildo aligns with his entrance. He takes hold of the toy and inserts it in himself gently until his and John’s rears are nearly pressed up against each other. 

“Ok,” Roger says. “You can move, John.”

Again it takes them a little while to find a good rhythm, and it’s more difficult to figure out how to move because they can’t see each other. But they manage to find their rhythm again eventually, and even though Roger can’t make eye contact with John, he can hear the younger man’s breathless moans and it makes his dick ache. He can feel John picking up the pace behind him so Roger increases the speed of his thrusts too, moaning as the toy hits his sweet spot. The new position they’re in means that the toy is at the perfect angle, and Roger feels as though he might pass out from the pleasure. 

“Fuck,” someone says (Roger isn’t entirely sure who it is at this point), “ _Jesus Christ_ , this is so fucking hot.”

Roger just keeps moving his hips to meet John’s as quickly as he can, and he can hear John gasping as he nears his orgasm. He turns to look at Brian once more, and it’s that intense hungry look in his Dom’s eyes that sends him over the edge. 

Roger cries out as he comes, his orgasm coursing through him like shockwaves. He thinks he must black out for a moment, because when he looks up, Brian and Freddie are tucking themselves back into their trousers, having clearly already come too. John has gone quiet behind him, so Roger assumes that the younger man has also orgasmed.

Roger feels gentle hands on him instantly, easing him forward so that the dildo slips out of him.

“That’s it, Rog,” Brian says softly in his ear. “Well done. Just let me clean you up really quickly and we can get you to bed.”

Roger collapses onto the towel as he feels Brian wipe between his legs with a soft cloth, kissing his temple and muttering praise. He finds himself being wrapped in a soft towel and Brian kisses him firmly on the lips.

Brian looks so handsome in that moment and his smile is so kind that Roger starts to feel a little overwhelmed.

“Thank you,” Roger says, his voice shaky. “That was amazing. Thank you so much.”

_I love you_ , is what he also wants to say.

He can see Freddie tending to John in the corner of his eye, and it warms Roger’s heart to see that John is definitely getting the quality aftercare he needs.

“You did so well, John,” Freddie coos, kissing John’s nose as he helps him into a dressing gown. “Did you enjoy your reward?” 

John nods happily, speechless. His eyes meet Roger’s, and he gives the biggest blissed out smile that Roger has ever seen. John turns his head and plants a firm kiss on Freddie’s lips.

Roger’s heart quickens in response to the loving look that passes between Freddie and John, and when Roger turns to look at Brian, his breath escapes him when he sees that same look in Brian’s eyes.

_I love you._


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who’s been here since the beginning, supporting and encouraging me and keeping me going. This probably won’t be the last you’ll see of this universe, but I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading this fic as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it!

As it turns out, the album does really rather well. 

They’d tried not to get their hopes up, but they’d all built up their expectations throughout the months of spending long days in the studio, and arguing with each other, and putting up with painfully awkward meetings at Foster Records. With all they’d sacrificed to make this album, Roger had known that this would be the making or breaking of Queen. Failure at this point would crush them. 

They had all desperately wanted the album to do well, but none of them had expected it to do _this_ well. 

When they find out the album has reached number one, Brian ends up shoving Roger against their bedroom wall and fucking the younger man until his voice grows hoarse.

“We did it,” Brian whispers in his ear, thrusting into Roger as if he needs to fuck his sub in order to live. “ _You_ did it. My incredible sub. You are so perfect. I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m proud of you too, Bri,” Roger gasps, throwing back his head as Brian kisses his neck and nuzzles his collar. “You kept me safe. You kept us all safe.”

Judging by the way John turns up at breakfast the next morning with a happily dazed expression and bite marks on his neck, Roger hazards a guess that he and Freddie had also been celebrating the news. It’s their first real success in what feels like forever, and it’s enough to renew their sense of hope that had slowly been slipping away.

It all feels like a wonderful dream. Suddenly they’re not just a band that plays at uni gigs; they’re serious musicians. Musicians with an _album_. That people actually  _listen_ to.

The tour is even more surreal. They play to crowds so much bigger than any audience they’ve ever had, and it’s such an overwhelming experience to hear such a large crowd singing their songs _with_ them. Singing lyrics _they_ wrote. 

For the first time in his life Roger forgets that he’s a sub in public. Their audiences scream and applaud them, all four of them. It’s the most exhilarating feeling, and every time he meets Brian’s eyes over the drums his Dom gives him a look full of such pride and joy that Roger feels his stomach flutter. He watches Brian playing the Red Special with a passionate smile and Roger knows this is how he wants to spend the rest of his life. He wants to play their songs on a stage and watch Brian get lost in the music from behind his drums. 

There’s something that Roger desperately wants to tell Brian, but he doesn’t end up saying it until they’re about halfway through the tour.

They’re doing their first press interview as a group. Roger sits between Brian and John, staring out at the sea of journalists with notepads and cameras. He suddenly feels rather exposed; he can feel all eyes in the room on his collar, on _John’s_ collar, all silently judging their right to be sitting here at this table with two Doms. Roger swallows when he feels John’s hand on his knee under the table, rubbing reassuringly.

Brian begins the interview by making it clear to the journalists present that Roger and John will be answering questions as well as himself and Freddie, and that they should be treated with the same respect as the Dom members of the band.

Roger beams at his Dom and gently touches the collar around his neck, feeling a little less vulnerable. He reminds himself that as long as Brian is with him, he’s safe. Brian will protect him.

As they begin the interview however it soon becomes clear that the press are less interested in Queen’s music, and more interested in their relationships with each other. Roger can feel the blood drain from his face when the first reporter stands to ask his question.

“What is it like being subs for your bandmates? Do they abuse their power to exclude your ideas and contributions?”

The question is directed at Roger and John, and they glance at each other briefly, initially unsure of whether they should even answer. Roger can sense Brian leaning into his microphone to tell the reporter to fuck off, so he decides to say something because this is an answer he wants to make very clear.

“Never,” Roger says quickly. “John and I have equal voices in the band. Brian and Freddie use their power as Doms to protect us and help us be a real part of Queen.”

From then on the questions are relentless, and none of them are about their actual music.

“ _Do you think you can survive as subs in the music industry?”_

_“How do the dynamics between you all affect the way you make music?”_

_“How do you feel about your collars?”_

_“How often do you get punished?”_

(“That’s really none of your business,” Brian cuts in, seething). 

And then comes the killer question from a reporter in the second row.

“According to Foster Records, your subs were claimed when you first signed with the label, but during your initial talks with the label just a few weeks before you were all single. That seems rather fast for both your subs to suddenly become claimed?”

There’s an uncomfortable pause. Roger can hear his blood roaring in his ears, and for a moment he feels like he’s back in Ray Foster’s office, accusation heavy in the air as he’s forced to get down on his knees and prove the legitimacy of his relationship with Brian. Roger glances to his left at John, who’s gone completely pale.

“I’m not clear on the question,” Freddie says into the microphone, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

The reporter fixes him with a steely glare. “Were your claims genuine?”

_There it is._ It’s Ray Foster’s mocking tone all over again, the threat in his voice clear. The threat of accusing them all of fraud which could lead to Brian and Freddie being sent to prison, leaving Roger and John vulnerable to the lusts and demands of a cruel but powerful Dom.

Freddie looks as though he wants to push the table over and jump into the crowd to tackle the reporter to the ground.

“What kind of a question is that?” Brian asks angrily. “Of course our claims were genuine. I’ve been in love with Rog since before Queen even bloody existed.”

Roger feels as if the air has been sucked from his lungs.

_I’ve been in love with Rog since before Queen even bloody existed-_

_I’ve been in love with Rog-_

_in love with Rog-_

He glances at Brian, whose look of annoyance has transformed into something else entirely. The older man has a warm expression on his face as he meets Roger’s eyes, and there’s something slightly vulnerable in his smile too, but the love there is undeniable. That’s when Roger knows that what Brian has just said is completely true. It wasn’t for the reporters and it wasn’t for show.

It was for Roger.

Roger leans into his microphone. “And I’ve been in love with Brian since the day I auditioned for Smile.”

It feels so good to finally say it out loud, and Brian _beams_ at him. It’s something that Roger would ideally have preferred to say in private for the first time, but the moment was so perfect and Brian looks so deliriously happy that he really doesn’t care.

Seemingly on impulse, Freddie leans over and plants a firm kiss on John’s lips as the cameras flash in their faces.

“We’re Queen,” Freddie pants into the microphone when he releases John. “We love each other and we’re a family. That’s all we have to say. This interview is over.”

The eruption of noise in the room is deafening as the four of them stand and march out the room, ignoring the barrage of questions being shouted at them and the flash of the cameras blinding them.

The minute they’re out of that room, Brian grabs Roger round the waist and kisses him gently. It’s a kiss unlike any other they’ve shared before, because now they both have a common understanding of what they mean to each other.

“I love you,” Brian whispers. “I’m in love with you, Rog.”

Roger is so giddy he can barely breathe. “Love you too, Bri. I always have.”

They kiss again, and Roger finally feels as though they’re where they’re meant to be.

 

******

_Twelve years later_

 

“Ugh,” John groans, running a hand through his hair and frowning at himself in the mirror. “My hair just isn’t behaving today.”

“You look an absolute vision, my love,” Freddie says proudly. “Your hair is perfect. It’s gloriously fluffy.” He presses a kiss to John’s cheek and caresses his neck where his collar rests.

“You look really nice,” Roger agrees, pulling John away from the mirror and into his lap for a cuddle. “Relax. Just enjoy yourself today.”

“Enjoy myself?” John grumbles, leaning his head on Roger’s shoulder. “In front of nearly two billion people? God, I’m probably gonna faint half way through this thing.”

Roger can hear the faint cheers of the crowd echoing throughout the backstage area.

“Our biggest audience ever,” Brian says in awe, looking up from his magazine. “Who would have thought?”

He smiles at Roger.

A decade ago Roger would never have imagined that they’d be playing to an audience like this. He never imagined that someone like Bob Geldof would be begging them to play at Wembley. A band with two subs playing at such a high profile televised gig would have been unheard of back then.

Roger can’t help but feel a certain sense of pride. Queen was one of the first bands to start making demands of record labels in terms of its treatment of sub artists, and soon after other bands followed. The music industry is very different now compared to how it was when Queen first started. Unlike when Roger and John entered the industry, sub artists now receive equal credits and royalties, and clauses demanding the use of submissives for sex have been outlawed.

They were lucky. They managed to build enough power in the music industry that they were able to demand change and pave the way for others. Roger hopes it will help other sub musicians out there like him and John to be able to make music on the same terms as Doms.

While the music industry had certainly transformed over the last decade, the pace of change in society had unfortunately been much slower. Discrimination against subs is still rife in certain institutions. It’s certainly less common to find venues that forbid subs from wearing clothes, but they do still exist. And John and Roger still face the odd disrespectful question from an arsehole reporter during an interview. But times are changing.

Even looking around backstage, Roger can see subs with collars rushing around with clipboards and headsets, looking terribly busy but also excited and absorbed in their work. It’s encouraging to see so many people like him who are being treated with the respect they deserve.

Roger runs a hand over his own collar. He’s really proud to be a sub, and Brian had told him this morning that there will be millions of subs watching today who will see Roger as their role model. Before Queen, Roger never felt like he was a good role model for anyone, but if he can bring some hope and comfort to other aspiring sub musicians, then he can die a happy man.

Another loud cheer from the crowd outside echoes through to the backstage area, and John buries his face in Roger’s neck.

“Come on, Deaky,” Roger admonishes playfully. “Stop being so silly. You know you’re gonna be incredible as always.” He gives John’s backside a gentle pat.

“We’re gonna be amazing,” Freddie says with a grin, bouncing over to them and wrapping his arms around the two subs. The energy is radiating off of him in waves.

Brian puts down his magazine and comes over too, engulfing them all in a hug. Roger feels a kiss being pressed to his hair, and he’s not sure whose lips he can feel, but he doesn’t care because he’s with his family and that’s all that matters.

“Hey guys.” They’re interrupted by a young Dom with a clipboard. “You’re on in five.”

They all look at each other, and Roger can feel the energy crackling in the air between them.

“Come on, lovely,” Roger says gently, giving John a nudge. “It’s time to go and rock that stadium.”

They’re led towards the stage, and Roger can sense the anticipation in the air between them. He sees various members of the backstage crew watch them in awe, and he smiles when an older Dom nods his head respectfully.

They hang around for a few minutes in the wings while the crew run around setting up the stage for them, and Brian takes Roger’s hand in his own.

“We would never have made it here if it weren’t for you and your amazing courage,” the Dom says gently.

Roger smiles at him. “We would never have made it here if it weren’t for you protecting me.”

The crowd screams outside, and the noise vibrates right through to Roger’s bones.

“I love you,” Brian says.

“ _HER MAJESTY-_ “

“I love you too,” Roger grins.

“ _QUEEN_!”

Roger’s feet almost fail him but luckily Brian tugs him by the hand gently, leading him out into the blinding sunlight.

Freddie practically sprints on stage, waving to the crowd and taking a low bow.They all take a bow together, and Roger lets the energy of the audience wash over him, fuelling his adrenaline.

From the corner of his eye, Roger can see Freddie grab John around the waist and pull him in close, pressing a kiss to his sub’s lips. John looks momentarily stunned but the crowd goes _wild_ , and Roger laughs when he sees a close up of the kiss on one of the big screens. Freddie grins when they separate, briefly caressing John’s neck affectionately just above his collar, before heading for the piano. John just smiles sweetly at the sea of faces as he wanders off to fetch his bass.

Brian seems to follow the same impulse, pulling Roger in close and dipping him low before kissing him. The roar of the crowd is deafening, and Roger can’t help but grin into the kiss as he hopes that somewhere Ray Foster is watching this.

When Brian releases him, he feels faint, but he does a quick wave to the crowd before taking his seat behind the drums. 

He looks out at the thousands of faces staring back at him, cheering him on, and then he shares one last pre-performance smile with Brian.

Roger takes a deep breath, and listens to Freddie play the opening notes of _Bohemian Rhapsody_.

END

 

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [I Have No Heart, I'm Cold Inside](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18330851) by Anonymous 




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